The Construction of the Self

Book excerpt: Drawing upon extensive theoretical knowledge and decades of empirical research by the author and others, this volume traces changes in the structure and content of self-representations from the preschool years through late adolescence. Harter provides a trenchant analysis of the cognitive and social processes responsible for the development of each person's unique sense of self. Throughout, normative-developmental and individual difference variables are clearly identified and clinical applications spotlighted. This authoritative work will be read with interest by scholars, clinicians, and students interested in understanding the causes and consequences of low self-esteem, or in designing interventions to promote more adaptive self-evaluations.