Collective Self-Esteem (CSE & CSE-R) Scale

Abstract

The Collective Self-Esteem (CSE) Scale and its revised version (CSE-R) are standardized psychological constructs designed to measure the aspect of self-esteem derived from an individual’s membership in social groups. Developed by Luhtanen and Crocker (1992), the instrument assesses an individual’s positive or negative self-evaluation of their ingroup, reflecting the core tenets of Social Identity Theory. The scale differentiates between four specific dimensions of collective self-esteem, providing a nuanced understanding of how group membership contributes to the overall sense of self-worth.

The original CSE scale focuses on general social groups, while the CSE-R is an adaptation used to assess collective self-esteem specifically related to one’s racial or ethnic group. Subsequent adaptations have been developed to target specific racial demographics, such as those for Black and Asian populations, further enhancing its utility in research concerning identity, discrimination, and group dynamics.

Keywords

Collective Self-Esteem, Social Identity, Group Membership, Self-Evaluation, Ingroup Satisfaction, Public Self-Esteem, Private Self-Esteem, CSE, CSE-R.

Authors

Roos Luhtanen, Jennifer Crocker, Gregory G. Leonardelli, Marilynn B. Brewer, David M. Tom

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Collective Self-Esteem Scale is to quantify the evaluative component of an individual’s social identity. It moves beyond measuring personal self-esteem (the evaluation of the self as an individual) to assess how favorably or unfavorably an individual evaluates the groups to which they belong, and how important those group memberships are to their personal identity.

By capturing four distinct dimensions—membership esteem, public collective self-esteem, private collective self-esteem, and importance to identity—the scale allows researchers to examine differential impacts of group status, perceived discrimination, and group identification on psychological well-being. The adapted versions (CSE-R) are essential for studying specific demographic groups, particularly in contexts involving ethnicity and race.

Construct

The scale measures Collective Self-Esteem, defined as the part of an individual’s self-concept that derives from their knowledge of their membership in a social group (or groups) together with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership. Luhtanen and Crocker (1992) proposed a four-factor structure for this psychological construct:

• Membership Esteem: The individual’s evaluation of themselves as a valuable and productive member of the group (e.g., “I am a worthy member of the social groups I belong to.”).
• Private Collective Self-Esteem: The individual’s personal assessment of how good or worthwhile their group is (e.g., “I feel good about the social groups I belong to.”).
• Public Collective Self-Esteem: The individual’s perception of how others outside the group view or evaluate the group (e.g., “In general, others respect the social groups that I am a member of.”).
• Importance to Identity: The degree to which group membership is central or vital to the individual’s overall sense of self (e.g., “Belonging to social groups is an important part of my self image.”).

Validity

The scale demonstrates strong construct validity, as evidenced by its robust factor structure consistently identifying the four hypothesized dimensions of collective self-esteem. Research utilizing the CSE and CSE-R has established its convergent and discriminant validity by showing expected correlations with measures of personal self-esteem, group identification, and measures of perceived discrimination.

Specifically, the scale items were designed through rigorous testing to ensure they effectively differentiate between the private evaluation of the group and the perceived public evaluation by outsiders. The adaptations, such as those focusing on racial identity, further support the scale’s validity in diverse cultural and social contexts, confirming that the underlying construct holds across various types of social groups.

Reliability

The CSE Scale is widely recognized for its high internal consistency. Across numerous studies, the four subscales typically exhibit high Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, often ranging from 0.75 to above 0.90, indicating excellent reliability for measuring each distinct dimension of collective self-esteem. Test-retest reliability has also been established, demonstrating the stability of the measure over time.

Factor Analysis

Initial factor analysis conducted by Luhtanen and Crocker (1992) confirmed the hypothesized four-factor structure using both exploratory and confirmatory techniques. This structure reliably separates the items into the four distinct, yet related, dimensions: Membership Esteem, Private Collective Self-Esteem, Public Collective Self-Esteem, and Importance to Identity. This structure has been largely replicated in subsequent research, supporting the scale’s theoretical foundation in Social Identity Theory.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Questionnaire (Psychometric Scale)

Format: 16-item scale (CSE and CSE-R standard versions), administered using a 7-point Likert Scale format.

Language Available: English (Original), widely translated and adapted into numerous other languages for cross-cultural research.

Population Group: General population, often adapted for specific racial/ethnic groups (e.g., CSE-R, adaptations for Black and Asian populations).

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults.

Population Details: Applicable to any individual who belongs to definable social groups, ranging from university students to community members.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate their agreement with each statement using a scale where 1=strongly disagree, 4=neutral, and 7=strongly agree. Items are reverse-scored where indicated (R).

Keywords

Group Identification, Collective Self-Esteem, Racial Identity, Ethnic Identity, Group Dynamics, Self-Concept, Psychometrics, Scale Development.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source.

Correspondence Address: Not specified in source. (Original authors affiliated with Ohio State University.)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale is generally considered available for academic research use, often without charge, though researchers should consult the primary author (Jennifer Crocker) or her lab website for formal permission. The original CSE Scale was published in 1992.

The instrument details and related resources are available online at the following links: http://faculty.psy.ohio-state.edu/crocker/lab/cse.php#3 and http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1135887227.

Reference’s

The foundational and adapting references for the Collective Self-Esteem Scale include:

• Luhtanen, R., & Crocker, J. (1992). A collective self-esteem scale: Self-evaluation of one’s social identity. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 18(3), 302-318.
• Leonardelli, G. G., & Brewer, M. B. (2001). Minority and majority discrimination: When and why. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 37, 468-485.
• Tom, David M., (2006). Effects of perceived discrimination: rejection and identification as two distinct pathways and their associated effects. Ohio State University. PhD dissertation.

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Items of the Collective Self-Esteem (CSE & CSE-R) Scale

The response format utilizes a 7-point scale: 1=strongly disagree, 2=moderately disagree, 3=somewhat disagree, 4=neutral, 5=somewhat agree, 6=moderately agree, 7=strongly agree.

CSE (Collective Self-Esteem General Version)

1. I am a worthy member of the social groups I belong to.
2. I often regret that I belong to some of the social groups I do.
3. Overall‚ my social groups are considered good by others.
4. Overall‚ my group memberships have very little to do with how I feel about myself.
5. I feel I don’t have much to offer to the social groups I belong to.
6. In general‚ I’m glad to be a member of the social groups I belong to.
7. Most people consider my social groups‚ on the average‚ to be more ineffective than other social groups.
8. The social groups I belong to are an important reflection of who I am.
9. I am a cooperative participant in the social groups I belong to.
10. Overall‚ I often feel that the social groups of which I am a member are not worthwhile.
11. In general‚ others respect the social groups that I am a member of.
12. The social groups I belong to are unimportant to my sense of what kind of a person I am.
13. I often feel I’m a useless member of my social groups.
14. I feel good about the social groups I belong to.
15. In general‚ others think that the social groups I am a member of are unworthy.
16. In general‚ belonging to social groups is an important part of my self image.

CSE-R (Collective Self-Esteem Racial/Ethnic Version)

1. I am a worthy member of my race/ethnic group.
2. I often regret that I belong to my racial/ethnic group.
3. Overall‚ my racial/ethnic group is considered good by others.
4. Overall‚ my race/ethnicity has very little to do with how I feel about myself.
5. I feel I don’t have much to offer to my racial/ethnic group.
6. In general‚ I’m glad to be a member of my racial/ethnic group.
7. Most people consider my racial/ethnic group‚ on the average‚ to be more ineffective than other groups.
8. The racial/ethnic group I belong to is an important reflection of who I am.
9. I am a cooperative participant in the activities of my racial/ethnic group.
10. Overall‚ I often feel that my racial/ethnic group is not worthwhile.
11. In general‚ others respect my race/ethnicity.
12. My race/ethnicity is unimportant to my sense of what kind of a person I am.
13. I often feel I’m a useless member of my racial/ethnic group.
14. I feel good about the race/ethnicity I belong to.
15. In general‚ others think that my racial/ethnic group is unworthy.
16. In general‚ belonging to my race/ethnicity is an important part of my self image.

Adopted Items (Tom, 2006) for Black Race

1. I am a worthy member of the Black race.
2. I often regret that I am Black. (R)
3. Overall‚ Blacks are considered good by others.
4. Overall‚ being Black has very little to do with how I feel about myself. (R)
5. I feel I don’t have much to offer to the Black community. (R)
6. In general‚ I’m glad to be Black.
7. Most people consider Blacks‚ on the average‚ to be more ineffective than other social groups. (R)
8. Being Black an important reflection of who I am.
9. I am a cooperative participant in the Black community.
10. Overall‚ I often feel that being Black is not worthwhile. (R)
11. In general‚ others respect Black individuals.
12. Being Black is unimportant to my sense of what kind of person I am. (R)
13. I often feel I’m a useless member of the Black community. (R)
14. I feel good about the Black race.
15. In general‚ others think that Blacks are unworthy. (R)
16. In general‚ being Black is an important part of my self-image.

Additional Ingroup Satisfaction Items (Adapted by Leonardelli & Brewer, 2001)

These items measure Ingroup Satisfaction (specific to the Black race in this adaptation):

17. I am pleased to be a member of the Black race.
18. The Black race is not satisfying to me.
19. I am unhappy with the Black race.
20. I am satisfied with the Black race.

Additional Items (Tom, 2006) for use with Asians

21. I am pleased to be a member of the Asian race;”
22. The Asian race is not satisfying to me (reverse scored);”
23. I am unhappy with the Asian race (reverse scored);”
24. I am satisfied with the Asian race.”