Research on self-esteem has focused almost exclusively on level of trait

self-esteem, to the neglect of other potentially more important aspects

such as the contingencies on which self-esteem is based.  Over a century

ago, James argued that self-esteem rises and falls around its typical

level in response to successes and failures in domains on which one has

staked self-worth.  I will present a model of global self-esteem that

builds on James' insights, and describe initial evidence in support of it.

This model can help to: 1) point the way to understanding how self-esteem

is implicated in affect, cognition, and self-regulation of behavior; 2)

suggest how and when self-esteem is implicated in social problems; 3)

resolve debates about the nature and functioning of self-esteem; 4)

resolve paradoxes in related literatures, such as why people who are

stigmatized do not necessarily have low self-esteem, and why self-esteem

does not decline with age; and 5) suggest how self-esteem is causally

related to depression.