The purpose of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to process what you are learning in
class more deeply, by helping you think more rigorously and critically about the theories and research
that you have read about (analysis), making connections across ideas and concepts (synthesis), and
applying theories and research on the self and self-esteem to your own experiences or to real-world
events (application).
Purpose of assignment: To develop your critical thinking skills by analyzing, synthesizing, and
applying material learned from class and in the real-world to better understand aspects of the self.
Format Guidelines: The papers should be 5-7 pages in length, double-spaced, 1” margin, 12 point font.
Grading Scheme: Papers will be graded on a scale from 0 to a maximum of 25 points. Paper
assignments that are late will be docked 1 point for each day past the due date (e.g., a paper due on
Tuesday that is turned in on Thursday will have 2 points deducted from the final score). It is your
responsibility to confirm that I ultimately received your (late) paper.
Choose 2 of any of the following journal articles to write about:
(1) Ryan, R. M., & Deci. E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic
motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68-78.
(2) Markus, H. R., & Kitayama, S. (1991). Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion,
and motivation. Psychological Review, 98, 224-253.
(3) Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T. (1997). Objectification theory: Toward understanding women’s
lived experiences and mental health risks. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21, 173-206.
(4) Crocker, J., & Park, L. E. (2004). The costly pursuit of self-esteem. Psychological Bulletin, 130,
392-414.
This class is called “self and self esteem”
some of the subjects that we have went over
are:
Self esteem
The self and health
The self and relationships
Stigma and the self
