Education Attainment Relationship to Self-Esteem, Well-Being, and Hope
Author:
Jillian ScismMentor:
Virgil H. Adams III Ph.D, Associate Professor and Chair of Psychology , California State University Channel IslandsThe impact of educational attainment is even more prevalent in today’s American society. Consider that the life long earning potential of a student that earns a Bachelor’s degree is $1.4 million dollars more then a high school graduate. As other similar facts such as these become more widely known it creates a society in which the importance of education is the norm. It has been suggested that a lack of higher education can lower self-esteem, well-being, as well as hope. It was hypothesized that the difference in the education attainment directly impact personality traits such as self-esteem as well as feelings of hope and well-being). A survey was conducted within communities in Southern California (n=895). It was hypothesized that the difference in education attainment directly affects such personality traits discussed above (i.e. self-esteem, hope, and well-being). The results supported education’s role in today’s society by showing how much it can affect many personality traits and their overall well-being. Discussion focuses on the relationship of educational attainment to both hope and well-being.