The relationship between implicit and explicit self-esteem: The moderating effect of handedness

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of handedness on the relationship between implicit self-esteem (ISE) and explicit self-esteem (ESE). A total of 93 undergraduate students (28 left-handers, 32 mix-handers, and 33 right-handers) participated in this study. Participants reported their ISE, ESE, and handedness using an Implicit Association Test (IAT) and an array of self-report measures. Results indicated that (a) there was a significant correlation between ESE and ISE in the whole sample, and (b) there was a very strong significant correlation in left-handed participants; and no significant correlation in right-handed participants. A further analysis showed a moderating effect of participants' handedness on the relationship between ISE and ESE. Implications and future research directions were discussed.