Self-esteem Implicit Association Test Research Articles

Can name-liking be used as an indicator of implicit self-esteem?

A new method for measuring implicit self-esteem was developed: asking a person how much they like their name. One previous study which tested the validity of this name-liking measure with using mainly Westerner as participants found that the measure was positively correlated with the self-esteem Implicit Association Test (IAT), the name-letter task, and explicit self-esteem measures. In this study, we examined whether name-liking is an indicator of implicit self-esteem in Japan. In six studies, 646 participants completed the self-esteem IAT, Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and name-liking measure. Meta-analysis showed that name-liking was positively correlated with the Rosenberg self-esteem scale but not significantly correlated with the self-esteem IAT. These results suggest that, in Japan, name-liking cannot be used as a substitute for the self-esteem IAT, which is the most commonly used measure of implicit self-esteem.

Lower implicit self-esteem as a pathway linking childhood abuse to depression and suicidal ideation.

Identifying the potential pathways linking childhood abuse to depression and suicidal ideation is critical for developing effective interventions. This study investigated implicit self-esteem-unconscious valenced self-evaluation-as a potential pathway linking childhood abuse with depression and suicidal ideation. A sample of youth aged 8-16 years (N = 240) completed a self-esteem Implicit Association Test (IAT) and assessments of abuse exposure, and psychopathology symptoms, including depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, and externalizing symptoms. Psychopathology symptoms were re-assessed 1-3 years later. Childhood abuse was positively associated with baseline and follow-up depression symptoms and suicidal ideation severity, and negatively associated with implicit self-esteem. Lower implicit self-esteem was associated with both depression and suicidal ideation assessed concurrently and predicted significant increases in depression and suicidal ideation over the longitudinal follow-up period. Lower implicit self-esteem was also associated with baseline anxiety, externalizing symptoms, and a general psychopathology factor (i.e. p-factor). We found an indirect effect of childhood abuse on baseline and follow-up depression symptoms and baseline suicidal ideation through implicit self-esteem. These findings point to implicit self-esteem as a potential mechanism linking childhood abuse to depression and suicidal ideation.

Development of the Tablet PC Version of Self-Esteem Implicit Association Test (SE-IAT/Tablet) for Children

Development of the Tablet PC Version of Self-Esteem Implicit Association Test (SE-IAT/Tablet) for Children

The Implicit Association Test: A Method in Search of a Construct

In 1998, Greenwald, McGhee, and Schwartz proposed that the Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures individual differences in implicit social cognition. This claim requires evidence of construct validity. I review the evidence and show that there is insufficient evidence for this claim. Most important, I show that few studies were able to test discriminant validity of the IAT as a measure of implicit constructs. I examine discriminant validity in several multimethod studies and find little or no evidence of discriminant validity. I also show that validity of the IAT as a measure of attitudes varies across constructs. Validity of the self-esteem IAT is low, but estimates vary across studies. About 20% of the variance in the race IAT reflects racial preferences. The highest validity is obtained for measuring political orientation with the IAT (64%). Most of this valid variance stems from a distinction between individuals with opposing attitudes, whereas reaction times contribute less than 10% of variance in the prediction of explicit attitude measures. In all domains, explicit measures are more valid than the IAT, but the IAT can be used as a measure of sensitive attitudes to reduce measurement error by using a multimethod measurement model.

Development of Autonomous and Heteronomous Self-Esteem Implicit Association Test for Children: Measurement of Autonomous and Heteronomus Self-esteem Using a Tablet PC

Development of Autonomous and Heteronomous Self-Esteem Implicit Association Test for Children: Measurement of Autonomous and Heteronomus Self-esteem Using a Tablet PC

Other directedness and impaired limits: The impact of early maladaptive schema on exercise dependence

While a sedentary lifestyle is a one of the most pressing health concern in western society, there appears to be a minority of individuals who exercise compulsively and in excess. Relatively little research has examined the factors leading exercise to transition from a healthy and sociable habit to one that is potentially pathological, addictive, and physically damaging. The present study examined the possible impact of early maladaptive schema (EMS) and implicit self-esteem on exercise dependence (EXD) in a cohort of Australian cyclists. A total of 136 cyclists completed the Young Schema Questionnaire Short-Form Revised, Self-esteem Implicit Association Test and Exercise Dependence Scale Revised to assess EMS, implicit self-esteem and for EXD symptomology. Early maladaptive schema, specifically the domains “other directedness” and “impaired limits”, accounted for a significant proportion of the variability in self-reported EXD symptomology. Additionally, a significant proportion of this cohort exhibited EXD symptomology irrespective of socio-demographic characteristics. These findings indicate that individuals who have an excessive external focus on the desires and needs of others, and/or are unable to set appropriate internal limits, may be at higher risk of developing EXD symptomology than individuals with lower levels of specific EMS. Therefore, understanding the relationship between EMS and EXD may aid in understanding the etiology of EXD and the development of intervention strategies.

Applying the Latent State-Trait Analysis to Decompose State, Trait, and Error Components of the Self-Esteem Implicit Association Test

Abstract. In the literature, self-report scales of Self-Esteem (SE) often showed a higher test-retest correlation and a lower situational variability compared to implicit measures. Moreover, several studies showed a close to zero implicit-explicit correlation. Applying a latent state-trait (LST) model on a sample of 95 participants (80 females, mean age: 22.49 ± 6.77 years) assessed at five measurement occasions, the present study aims at decomposing latent trait, latent state residual, and measurement error of the SE Implicit Association Test (SE-IAT). Moreover, in order to compare implicit and explicit variance components, a multi-construct LST was analyzed across two occasions, including both the SE-IAT and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Results revealed that: (1) the amounts of state and trait variance in the SE-IAT were rather similar; (2) explicit SE showed a higher consistency, a lower occasion-specificity, and a lower proportion of error variance than SE-IAT; (3) latent traits of explicit and implicit SE showed a positive and significant correlation of moderate size. Theoretical implications for the implicit measurement of self-esteem were discussed.

Neural activity in the reward-related brain regions predicts implicit self-esteem: A novel validity test of psychological measures using neuroimaging.

Self-esteem, arguably the most important attitudes an individual possesses, has been a premier research topic in psychology for more than a century. Following a surge of interest in implicit attitude measures in the 90s, researchers have tried to assess self-esteem implicitly to circumvent the influence of biases inherent in explicit measures. However, the validity of implicit self-esteem measures remains elusive. Critical tests are often inconclusive, as the validity of such measures is examined in the backdrop of imperfect behavioral measures. To overcome this serious limitation, we tested the neural validity of the most widely used implicit self-esteem measure, the implicit association test (IAT). Given the conceptualization of self-esteem as attitude toward the self, and neuroscience findings that the reward-related brain regions represent an individual's attitude or preference for an object when viewing its image, individual differences in implicit self-esteem should be associated with neural signals in the reward-related regions during passive-viewing of self-face (the most obvious representation of the self). Using multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) on functional MRI (fMRI) data, we demonstrate that the neural signals in the reward-related regions were robustly associated with implicit (but not explicit) self-esteem, thus providing unique evidence for the neural validity of the self-esteem IAT. In addition, both implicit and explicit self-esteem were related, although differently, to neural signals in regions involved in self-processing. Our finding highlights the utility of neuroscience methods in addressing fundamental psychological questions and providing unique insights into important psychological constructs. (PsycINFO Database Record

Influence of sad mood induction on implicit self-esteem and its relationship with symptoms of depression and anxiety

Background and objectivesImplicit self-esteem (ISE) refers to the valence of triggered associations when the self is activated. Despite theories, previous studies often fail to observe low ISE in depression and anxiety. It is feasible that sad mood is required to activate dysfunctional self-associations. The present study tested the following hypotheses: i) ISE is lower following a sad mood induction (SMI); ii) the relationship between ISE and level of depression/anxiety symptoms is relatively strong when ISE is measured during sad mood; iii) individuals with higher levels of depression/anxiety symptoms will show a relatively large decrease in ISE following a SMI. MethodsIn this mixed-designed study, university students completed the self-esteem implicit association test (IAT) either at baseline (control condition; n = 46) or following a SMI (experimental condition; n = 49). To test the third hypothesis, a SMI and IAT were also given in the control condition. Both conditions completed self-report measures of explicit self-esteem (ESE), and symptoms of depression and anxiety. ResultsThere was no support for the first two hypotheses, but some support that symptoms of anxiety correlated with larger decreases in ISE following a SMI which partly supported the third hypothesis. This disappeared when controlling for multiple testing. LimitationsResults are limited to non-clinical participants. ConclusionsWhile ISE was robust against increases in sad mood, there was some tentative support that symptoms of anxiety were related to larger decreases in ISE following a SMI.

Development of the Paper and Pencil Version of Self-Esteem Implicit Association Test for Children (SE-IAT-C): Investigation of the Reliability and Validity Utilizing Assessment of Children by Teachers

Development of the Paper and Pencil Version of Self-Esteem Implicit Association Test for Children (SE-IAT-C): Investigation of the Reliability and Validity Utilizing Assessment of Children by Teachers

The “modest mask”? An investigation of vulnerable narcissists' implicit self-esteem

Vulnerable narcissists are entitled and self-absorbed, yet report low explicit self-esteem. We proposed a “Modest Mask Hypothesis,” predicting that vulnerable narcissism would be associated with low explicit self-esteem and high implicit self-esteem. We also sought to replicate previous work assessing grandiose narcissism and self-esteem. Studies 1 and 2 utilized two different versions of the self-esteem Implicit Association Test (IAT). Vulnerable narcissism did not appear to be associated with implicit self-esteem, whereas grandiose narcissism was explained by a combination of high implicit and high explicit self-esteem in Study 2. Study 3, utilizing a bogus pipeline methodology, revealed that vulnerable and grandiose narcissists believe the level of explicit self-esteem they report. Study 3 also revealed that under pressure to be honest, both grandiose and vulnerable narcissists report higher entitlement and exploitativeness, but only grandiose narcissists report higher grandiosity. Thus, mask models do not appear to explain narcissism.

Excitatory stimulation of the right inferior parietal cortex lessens implicit religiousness/spirituality

Although religiousness and spirituality (RS) are considered two fundamental constituents of human life, neuroscientific investigation has long avoided the study of their neurocognitive basis. Nevertheless, recent investigations with brain imaging and brain damaged patients, and more recently with brain stimulation methods, have documented important associations between RS beliefs and experiences and frontoparietal neural activity. In this study, we further investigated how individuals' implicit RS self-representations can be modulated by changes in right inferior parietal lobe (IPL) excitability, a key region associated to RS. To this end, we combined continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), intermittent TBS (iTBS), and sham TBS with RS-related, Implicit Association Test (IAT) and with a control self-esteem (SE) IAT in a group of fourteen healthy adult individuals. A specific decrease of implicit RS, as measured with the IAT effect, was induced by increasing IPL excitability with iTBS; conversely cTBS, which is supposedly inhibitory, left participants' implicit RS unchanged. The performance in the control SE-IAT was left unchanged by any TBS stimulation. These data showed the causative role of right IPL functional state in mediating plastic changes of implicit RS. Implications of these results are also discussed in the light of the variability of behavioral effects associated with TBS.

To be or want to be: disentangling the role of actual versus ideal self in implicit self-esteem.

A growing body of work suggests that both depressed and non-depressed individuals display implicit positivity towards the self. In the current study, we examined whether this positivity can be underpinned by two qualitatively distinct propositions related to actual (‘I am good’) or ideal (‘I want to be good’) self-esteem. Dysphoric and non-dysphoric participants completed a self-esteem Implicit Association Test (IAT) as well an Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) targeting their actual self-esteem and an IRAP targeting ideal self-esteem. Both groups demonstrated similar and positive IAT effects. A more complex picture emerged with regard to the IRAP effects. Whereas non-dysphorics did not differ in their actual and ideal self-esteem, their dysphoric counterparts demonstrated lower actual than ideal self-esteem. Our results suggest that closer attention to the role of propositional processes in implicit measures may unlock novel insight into the relationship between implicit self-esteem and depression.

Electrophysiological correlates of implicit valenced self-processing in high vs. low self-esteem individuals

We provide the first high-temporal resolution account of the self-esteem implicit association test (IAT; Greenwald & Farnham, 2000) to highlight important similarities and differences between the cognitive processes corresponding to implicit valenced self-processing in high vs. low self-esteem individuals. We divided individuals into high and low self-esteem groups based on the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965) and administered the self-esteem IAT while recording electroencephalographic data. We show that the P2 captured group (high vs. low self-esteem) differences, the N250 and the late parietal positivity (LPP) captured differences corresponding to category pairing (self/positive vs. self/negative pairing), and the N1, P2, and P300–400 components captured interactions between self-esteem groups and whether the self was paired with positive or negative categories in the IAT. Overall, both high and low self-esteem groups were sensitive to the distinction between positive and negative information in relation to the self (me/negative generally displayed larger event-related potential amplitudes than me/positive), but for high self-esteem individuals, this difference was generally larger, earlier, and most pronounced over left-hemisphere electrodes. These electrophysiological differences may reflect differences in attentional resources devoted to teasing apart these two oppositely valenced associations. High self-esteem individuals appear to devote more automatic (early) attentional resources to strengthen the distinction between positively or negatively valenced information in relation to the self.

The relative contributions of implicit and explicit self-esteem to narcissistic use of Facebook

This study aimed to explore the relationship between narcissism and Facebook use. Based on a conceptualization of narcissism as a discrepancy between implicit and explicit self-esteem, we investigated the relative contributions of each element of self-esteem to different Facebook behaviors presumed to represent narcissism. We measured the explicit and implicit self-esteem of 81 participants using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Self-Esteem Implicit Association Test (IAT), respectively. Most participants then provided access to their Facebook accounts by friending a fictitious person. We coded a sample of these participants’ online behaviors, and then analyzed how they related to the measures of self-esteem. Results suggest that implicit rather than explicit self-esteem drives Facebook behaviors associated with narcissism, with implicit self-esteem negatively correlated with number of Facebook friends. These results inform our understanding of the relationship between personality and online behavior.

Virtual lesions of the inferior parietal cortex induce fast changes of implicit religiousness/spirituality

Religiousness and spirituality (RS) are two ubiquitous aspects of human experience typically considered impervious to scientific investigation. Nevertheless, associations between RS and frontoparietal neural activity have been recently reported. However, much less is known about whether such activity is causally involved in modulating RS or just epiphenomenal to them. Here we combined two-pulse (10 Hz) Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) with a novel, ad-hoc developed RS-related, Implicit Association Test (IAT) to investigate whether implicit RS representations, although supposedly rather stable, can be rapidly modified by a virtual lesion of inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). A self-esteem (SE) IAT, focused on self-concepts nonrelated to RS representations, was developed as control. A specific increase of RS followed inhibition of IPL demonstrating its causative role in inducing fast plastic changes of religiousness/spirituality. In contrast, DLPFC inhibition had more widespread effects probably reflecting a general role in the acquisition or maintenance of task-rules or in controlling the expression of self-related representations not specific to RS.

Assessment of implicit self-esteem in bipolar manic and euthymic patients using the implicit association test

ObjectiveAlthough self-esteem is thought to be an important psychological factor in bipolar disorder, little is known about implicit and explicit self-esteem in manic patients. In this study, we investigated differences in implicit and explicit self-esteem among bipolar manic patients, bipolar euthymic patients, and healthy controls using the Implicit Association Test (IAT). MethodsParticipants included 19 manic patients, 27 euthymic patients, and 27 healthy controls. Participants completed a self-esteem scale to evaluate explicit self-esteem and performed the self-esteem IAT to evaluate implicit self-esteem. ResultsThere were no differences among groups in explicit self-esteem. However, there were significant differences among groups in implicit self-esteem. Manic patients had higher IAT scores than euthymic patients and a trend toward higher IAT scores than healthy controls. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that, on the latent level, a manic state is not simply the opposite of a depressed state. Furthermore, there may be a discontinuity of implicit self-esteem between manic and euthymic states. These unexpected results may be due to characteristics of the study participants or the methods used to assess implicit self-esteem. Nevertheless, they provide greater insights on the psychological status of manic patients.

Implicit and explicit self-esteem and their reciprocal relationship with symptoms of depression and social anxiety: A longitudinal study in adolescents

Background and ObjectivesA negative self-view is a prominent factor in most cognitive vulnerability models of depression and anxiety. Recently, there has been increased attention to differentiate between the implicit (automatic) and the explicit (reflective) processing of self-related evaluations. This longitudinal study aimed to test the association between implicit and explicit self-esteem and symptoms of adolescent depression and social anxiety disorder. Two complementary models were tested: the vulnerability model and the scarring effect model. MethodParticipants were 1641 first and second year pupils of secondary schools in the Netherlands. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, self-esteem Implicit Association Test and Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale were completed to measure explicit self-esteem, implicit self-esteem and symptoms of social anxiety disorder (SAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), respectively, at baseline and two-year follow-up. ResultsExplicit self-esteem at baseline was associated with symptoms of MDD and SAD at follow-up. Symptomatology at baseline was not associated with explicit self-esteem at follow-up. Implicit self-esteem was not associated with symptoms of MDD or SAD in either direction. LimitationsWe relied on self-report measures of MDD and SAD symptomatology. Also, findings are based on a non-clinical sample. ConclusionsOur findings support the vulnerability model, and not the scarring effect model. The implications of these findings suggest support of an explicit self-esteem intervention to prevent increases in MDD and SAD symptomatology in non-clinical adolescents.

P 140. Virtual lesions of the inferior parietal and prefrontal cortex alter implicit religiousness and spirituality in healthy individuals

Belief in a higher power constitutes a core feature of religiousness and spirituality (RS), two ubiquitous aspects of human experience and behaviour that have long been considered impervious to scientific investigation. Recently, however, cognitive neuroscience studies have shown an association between RS experiences and neural activity in fronto-parietal regions. Much less is known on whether activity in the above areas is causally involved in modulating RS experiences or just epiphenomenal to them. Here we combined two-pulse (10 Hz) transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with a novel, ad hoc developed RS-related, implicit Association Test (IAT) to investigate whether implicit RS representations, although supposedly rather stable, can be modified in the short-term by a virtual lesion of inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). A self-esteem (SE) IAT, focused on self-concepts non related to RS representations, was developed as control. The results show that inhibiting the IPL induced a specific increase in RS. In contrast, interfering with the left DLPFC induced a marginal increase of difficulty in controlling automatic associations of the self with both RS and SE dimensions. Thus, suppression of neural activity in parietal regions seems causally involved in the specific induction of fast RS increase. Conversely, the DLPFC appears to contribute to RS in relation to attentional processes or activation of self-related concepts.

Facets of self-esteem at an implicit level? Investigation of implicit–explicit correlations and development of four IATs

Correlations between implicit and explicit self-esteem have consistently been shown to be smaller than implicit–explicit correlations in other areas. As past research has not taken the facet structure of self-esteem into account, the present studies investigated area-specific implicit–explicit correlations. In Study 1, we conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the link between the Standard Self-Esteem Implicit Association Test and facets of explicit self-esteem. Across 11 samples, we found small but significant implicit–explicit correlations for the facets of social self-esteem and self-regard. In Study 2 (N=223), we developed new IATs to measure facets of implicit self-esteem. Confirmatory Factor Analyzes (CFAs) showed that a facet structure can also be distinguished at the implicit level. Concerning correlations between implicit and explicit self-esteem, a model allowing for implicit–explicit correlations only within but not across facets of self-esteem yielded the best model fit. Significant latent correlations between implicit and explicit self-esteem were found for the social self-esteem facet. Implications of these findings concerning the measurement of implicit self-esteem, congruency versus discrepancy between explicit and implicit self-esteem, and the relevance of the different facets are discussed.