The Relation of Status to Self Esteem: Chain Saw Sociology at the Cutting Edge

Abstract Explanation of the relation of status to self esteem is impeded by the crude and simple concepts most often used in analyzing this relationship. If concepts are the tools of the sociological trade, it is those equivalent to the chain saw that we most often use, and, as a consequence, the complex and subtle relationships that need to be observed in order to explain the effects of social status upon self esteem are obscured. There is also little evidence of any progressive specification of meaning of concepts related to status and self esteem. In this paper, examples of chain saw sociology are discussed and proposals are made for conceptual refinements that might prove helpful in explaining how our self assessments are linked to our social status.