Self-esteem tends to remain stable over the lifespan. This suggests self-esteem could be set very early on. Professor Andrew Meltzoff, one of the study’s authors, said: “Some scientists consider preschoolers too young to have developed a positive or negative sense about themselves. Our findings suggest that self-esteem, feeling good or bad about yourself, is fundamental. It is a social mindset children bring to school with them, not something they develop in school.”
Until now it has been difficult to test the self-esteem of young children. Dr Dario Cvencek, the study’s lead author, explained: “Preschoolers can give verbal reports of what they’re good at as long as it is about a narrow, concrete skill, such as ‘I’m good at running’ or ‘I’m good with letters,’ but they have difficulties providing reliable verbal answers to questions about whether they are a good or bad person.” READ MORE...
