Low self-esteem pops up regularly in academic reports as an explanation for all sorts of violence, from hate crimes and street c

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问题      Low self-esteem pops up regularly in academic reports as an explanation for all sorts of violence, from hate crimes and street crimes to terrorism. But despite the popularity of the explanation, not much evidence backs it up. In a recent issue of Psychological Review, three researchers examine this literature at length and conclude that a much stronger link connects high self-esteem to violence. "It is difficult to maintain belief in the low self-esteem view after seeing that the more violent groups are generally the ones with higher self-esteem." write Roy Baumeister of Case Western Reserve University and Laura Smart and Joseph Boden of the University of Virginia.
     The conventional view is that people without self-esteem try to gain it by hurting others. The researchers find that violence is much more often the work of people with unrealistically high self-esteem attacking others who challenge their self-image. Under this umbrella come bullies, rapists, racists, psychopaths and members of street gangs and organized crime.
     The study concludes: Certain forms of high self-esteem seem to increase one’s proneness to violence. An uncritical endorsement of the cultural value of self-esteem may therefore be counterproductive and even dangerous. The societal pursuit of high self-esteem for everyone may literally end up doing considerable harm. "As for prison programs intended to make violent convicts feel better about themselves, "perhaps it would be better to try instilling modesty and humility." the researchers wrote.
     In an interview with the Boston Globe, Baumeister said he believed the "self-promoting establishment" was starting to crumble. "What would work better for the country is to forget about self-esteem and concentrate on self-control." he said. In the schools, this would mean turning away from psychic boosterism and emphasizing self-esteem as a by-product of real achievement, not as an end in itself. The self-esteem movement, still entrenched in schools of education, is deeply implicated in the dumbing down of our schools, and in the disguised equality behind the idea that it is a terrible psychic blow if one student does any better or any worse than another. Let’s hope it is indeed crumbling.
Traditionally, it is believed that people without self-esteem ______ .

选项 A、are usually the targets of organized crime
B、are less violent than those with unrealistically high self-esteem
C、are more likely to hurt others to gain self-esteem
D、always resort to violence when their self-image is challenged

答案C

解析 细节题。根据第二段第一句可知,C项正确(传统观念认为,缺乏自尊的人会通过伤害别人的方式来获取自尊)。
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