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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

A Method to Study Adaptation to Left-Right Reversed Audition
Published on: October 29, 2018
Lateralisation of self-esteem: an investigation using a dichotically presented auditory adaptation of the Implicit
Ryan McKay1, Joanne Arciuli, Alikki Atkinson
1Institute for Empirical Research in Economics, University of Zurich, Bluemlisalpstrasse 10, Zurich, Switzerland. ryantmckay@mac.com
Introduction:
Self-esteem is one of the most prominent and influential constructs in psychological science, yet very few neuropsychological/neuroscientific investigations have been undertaken in this area of research. The current study investigated the possibility of hemispheric lateralisation of self-esteem.
Methods:
By creating an auditory version of the Implicit Association Test (IAT) for self-esteem, we were able to present stimuli dichotically and thereby compare left- versus right-hemispheric measurements of self-esteem in 46 healthy adults.
Results:
Although left- and right-hemispheric self-esteem measurements were correlated, within-participant analysis revealed that self-esteem levels (as reflected by IAT score) were significantly greater when elicited under right-ear presentation (reflecting left-hemispheric processing).
Conclusions:
We interpret this asymmetry with reference to the approach-withdrawal model of emotion processing and suggest avenues for future research.
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