Measuring self-esteem using the implicit association test: the role of the other

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Implicit self-esteem is often measured using the Implicit Association Test (IAT).
• Self-other IATs assess implicit attitudes towards the self in relation to others.
• The influence of the 'other' in self-other IATs on implicit self-esteem requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of specifying the 'other' on self-esteem IAT scores.
• To investigate whether the valence of an unspecified other influences self-esteem IATs.
• To evaluate the validity of the self-esteem IAT when the 'other' is not clearly defined.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted using self-other Implicit Association Tests (IATs).
• Participants completed esteem-IATs with an unspecified other and a specified close friend.
• Study 2 involved a conceptual replication and examined the valence of an unspecified other.

Main Results:

• Esteem-IAT scores were significantly higher when the 'other' was unspecified compared to a close friend (d = .82).
• The content and valence of the 'other' significantly influenced overall esteem-IAT scores.
• Results suggest that the mental representation of the self, as measured by the esteem-IAT, is contingent on the mental representation of the 'other'.

Conclusions:

• The findings question the reliability and interpretation of the esteem-IAT as a sole measure of implicit self-esteem.
• The 'other' component in self-other IATs plays a crucial role and must be carefully considered.
• Future research should account for the specific 'other' used in self-esteem IAT paradigms.