The Psychology of Self-Esteem
The Psychology of Self-Esteem is a book by Nathaniel Branden, first published in 1969. It presents Branden’s ideas about how self-esteem shapes our thoughts, feelings, and actions, and it helped popularize the idea that self-esteem is a key part of personal improvement. Much of the work was written while Branden was connected with Ayn Rand, and some of her influence appears in the book.
Branden defines self-esteem as the integrated sum of self-confidence and self-respect: a person’s sense of personal efficacy and personal worth. He argues that self-esteem is one of the most important factors in how people think and behave. The book is split into two parts. Part One, The Foundations, covers general theories of human nature, consciousness, will, emotions, and mental health. It’s more about philosophy and psychology as a whole, not just self-esteem. Part Two, The Psychology of Self-Esteem, focuses specifically on self-esteem itself.
Branden contrasts healthy self-esteem with problems such as pseudo-self-esteem, which is an irrational pretense of value used to reduce anxiety, and nonrational self-protective behavior. He also links low self-esteem to anxiety, guilt, and depression, and discusses a condition he calls social metaphysics, where a person bases reality on the opinions of others rather than objective reality. In the final chapters, he discusses psychotherapy and the role of values, arguing that therapists inevitably bring their own moral views into practice. He believes effective therapy should follow a conscious, rational ethical code, which he associates with Ayn Rand’s Objectivist ethics. He also outlines several therapeutic techniques and ends with a closing section.
The 32nd anniversary edition adds a preface in which Branden notes some changes to his views over time while choosing not to alter the original text. It includes an epilogue about working with self-esteem in psychotherapy and describes updated methods, such as sentence-completion exercises.
Publication history and reception mix both praise and critique. The book was a commercial success, selling over a million copies and helping bring self-esteem ideas to a broad audience. Some readers find the early chapters challenging, but many consider it a landmark in popular psychology. Critics have raised concerns about an overemphasis on self-esteem, the author’s close ties to Rand, and what they see as bias in arguing that low self-esteem causes distress. Some supporters, like Alfie Kohn, acknowledge the value of self-esteem while criticizing Branden’s approach and foundations. Others, such as Thomas Szasz, criticized Branden for focusing too much on Rand and for limiting the field to Rand’s perspective. Still, many readers see Branden’s core message as the idea that a healthy sense of self-worth comes from internal responsibility and personal effectiveness.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 15:35 (CET).