Enlarge By Jay Pickthorn, AP Researchers found that engaging in sex, drinking alcohol, getting a paycheck, eating a favorite food or seeing a best friend couldn't top the high that students got from a boost to their self-esteem. Sex, booze or money just can't compare with the jolt young people get from a boost to their self-esteem, says a new study of college students that found the desire for praise trumped other desires or needs. "We looked at all the things college students love and they love self-esteem more," says lead author Brad Bushman, a professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State University in Columbus. Using questionnaires that included the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, researchers at Ohio State and Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y., conducted two separate studies of 282 students that gauged the desire for praise, as well as the desire to engage in sex, drink alcohol, get a paycheck, eat a favorite food or see a best friend. They favored experiences that boosted self-esteem, such as receiving a good grade or a compliment "All these things make people feel good and self-esteem definitely feels good," Bushman says. The study is published online in the Journal of Personality. Part of what researchers analyzed was the difference between "liking" and "wanting," based on study participants' self-reports. They said they liked the rewards listed in the study more than they actually wanted them, which Bushman says is considered healthy. However, the liking-wanting distinction was smallest for self-esteem, suggesting a stronger desire for it than the other rewards. For another gauge, participants took a test they were told measured intellectual ability. Afterward, they were told if they waited 10 minutes, their score would be recalculated with a method that usually produced better results. Researchers found that students who highly valued self-esteem were more likely to stay to get the higher scores. The findings don't surprise Bill Corsaro, a sociologist at Indiana University-Bloomington. He has not seen the study but has taught for 35 years. He says "more and more kids are being raised with high expectations." "Kids from a very early age are being socialized to do well — to be hard workers. It creates this sense of entitlement. So achieving and being praised for that achievement is what's most important in their view in terms of themselves," Corsaro says. "It doesn't mean they won't engage in these other activities, but they're not held up as (being) as important." Bushman says self-esteem levels have been rising ever since a widely used standard was developed in 1965. "People seem to value it more highly today than in the past," he says. Self-esteem is a basic human need, says Robert Reasoner of Port Ludlow, Wash., who has been involved with the movement for 40 years. "All humans want to have positive emotional feelings about themselves," says Reasoner, a founder of the National Association for Self-Esteem. It's about confidence in your ability to deal with life's challenges and a sense of personal worth, rather than generalized praise and undeserved rewards, he says. Bushman is worried, however. "In general, I think self-esteem, though it feels good for the individual, is harmful to society, especially if it goes over the top and becomes narcissism." We've updated the Conversation Guidelines. Changes include a brief review of the moderation process and an explanation on how to use the "Report Abuse" button. Read more