Psychology Archives

The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem: Exercises & Prompts

Are you looking for The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem exercises? How can you put the book’s lessons into practice? In his book The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, psychotherapist and self-esteem expert Nathaniel Branden describes what he believes are the key components of self-esteem: 1) Living With Awareness, 2) Accepting Yourself, 3) Taking Responsibility, 4) Asserting Yourself, and 5) Living Intentionally. He explains how each pillar contributes to self-esteem and provides practical strategies for improving your self-esteem by practicing the six pillars or categories of behavior. Here are some reflection prompts and exercises that will help you consider the book’s lessons

Acute vs. Chronic Stress: What’s the Difference?

What’s the difference between acute vs. chronic stress? Which type of stress is more harmful to your body? There are two different types of stress: acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is induced by short-term challenges such as exercise, fasting, and exposure to hot/cold temperatures. Chronic stress occurs when you are exposed to a high-stress situation or stimuli for a long time, which can have adverse health consequences because it skews up your body’s equilibrium. Keep reading to learn about the effects of acute vs. chronic stress.

What Is Social Pressure? The 2 Types

What is social pressure? What are the two types of social pressure? Social pressure is the influence exerted on an individual or group by another individual or group. In The Lucifer Effect, psychologist Philip Zimbardo defines the two types of social pressure that influence someone to be evil: group pressure and authoritative pressure. Keep reading to learn about the two types of social pressures.

Brené Brown on Happiness & Sadness

We often say we’re happy or sad, but what exactly is happiness? And what exactly is sadness? According to Brené Brown, happiness and sadness lie at the opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. As basic emotions, they serve as the foundation of numerous others (e.g. happiness for joy and gratitude, and sadness—for hopelessness). Here’s how Brené Brown explains happiness and sadness.

How the USA Culture Impacts Self-Esteem

What are Americans like as a nation? How does the USA culture impact self-esteem? Americans have a complicated relationship with self-esteem. Specifically, USA culture includes values that support self-esteem and others that are harmful to self-esteem. According to psychotherapist and self-esteem expert Nathaniel Branden, the latter predominates today. Here’s how the American culture erodes the self-esteem of the nation.

The Lucifer Effect: Quotes by Philip Zimbardo

Are you looking for The Lucifer Effect quotes? What does Philip Zimbardo have to say about the Stanford Prison Experiment? In The Lucifer Effect, Philip Zimbardo, the psychologist famous for running the notorious Stanford Prison Experiment, argues that most of us drastically misunderstand human evil. This misunderstanding causes many unsuspecting people to willingly participate in evil and abuse. Here are the best quotes from The Lucifer Effect with explanations.

4 Self-Sabotaging Habits You Should Watch Out For

Do you self-sabotage by engaging in behaviors you know are holding you back? What are some common self-sabotaging habits to watch out for? Many common behaviors that we tend to think of as natural and normal can actually be signs that we are self-sabotaging in order to undermine our success and happiness. Take some time to reflect on whether any of these rings true for you: 1) you worry habitually, 2) you tend to be critical of others, 3) you can’t accept compliments, 4) you often get sick following positive experiences. Here are four self-sabotaging habits to watch out for.

Brené Brown: The Need for Love and Belonging

How important is it for humans to feel love and belonging? What exactly is love? According to Brené Brown, love and belonging are essential to human well-being. Belonging is when you can truly be yourself, and the people around you love you for it. Love is a deep form of shared belonging. Keep reading to learn about the human need for love and belonging, according to Brené Brown.

How Schools Can Improve Students’ Confidence

What role do schools play in students’ self-esteem? What can educators do to help nurture their students’ confidence? Many parents are emotionally unable to teach their children the skills and beliefs necessary to achieve healthy self-esteem. Schools can rectify this gap and boost their students’ confidence—or, if they misstep, they can reinforce the harmful behaviors learned at home and further impair their students’ psychological development. Here’s how schools can help nurture children’s self-esteem.

How to Break Negative Thought Patterns

Do you often find yourself falling down the negative thinking spiral? How do you break the habit of negative thinking? Human beings are creatures of habit. Once you get into the habit of thinking a certain way, it sticks with you. The longer you practice the negative thinking habit—whether consciously or unconsciously—the harder it is to break. Here’s how to break negative thought patterns once and for all.