Towards Optimizing the Name Letter Test as a Measure of Implicit Self-esteem

Abstract

A common measure for implicit self-esteem is the name letter effect, traditionally calculated as the rated attractiveness of someone's initials or name letters minus the average attractiveness of those same letters rated by people not having those initial or name letters. We present evidence showing this calculation method is confounded with general letter liking. As such, it cannot adequately distinguish the evaluation of name letters from not-name letters, and may therefore mistake response bias or general letter liking for implicit self-esteem. We propose an alternative calculation method that is without confounds and assesses the unique contribution of name letter evaluation by simultaneously controlling for the influence of not-name letter liking and general liking of the specific letters.