Indirectly measured self-esteem predicts gaze avoidance

Can gaze behavior be predicted by direct and indirect measures of self-esteem, and, if so, does an indirect measure of self-esteem predict gaze behavior over and above a direct measure of self-esteem? Two different affective priming tasks were developed as indirect measures of self-esteem. Facial pictures or participants' first name were used as primes. Scores on a self-esteem questionnaire, as a measure of direct selfesteem, failed to predict gaze avoidance and gaze duration. However, the size of the affective priming effect with one's first name as the prime successfully predicted gaze avoidance, over and above direct self-esteem. Higher indirect self-esteem was associated with reduced breaking of eye contact whereas lower indirect self-esteem was associated with breaking eye contact more frequently. © 2010 Psychology Press.status: publishe