Self-esteem accessibility as attitude strength: on the durability and impactfulness of accessible self-esteem

The present research examines the accessibility of one's self-esteem as a predictor of the strength (durability and impactfulness) of that self-esteem. based on attitude accessibility research,the authors predicted that accessibility of self-esteem (i.e.,a self-attitude) would be positively related to self-esteem's ability to resist change and guide information processing. in study 1,accessibility of self-esteem was positively related to resistance to change in a paradigm where participants listed either positive or negative self-attributes. self-esteem was also associated with biases in judgments of ambiguous personality feedback (study 2) and in explanatory style and future event predictions (study 3),but did so to a greater extent as self-esteem accessibility increased. in addition,these patterns were obtained after controlling for other variables,including general reaction time,evaluative extremity,self-concept clarity,and self-esteem certainty. results are discussed in relation to past literature,self-strength,and applied implications. © 2010 by the society for personality and social psychology,inc.