@article {307453,
	title = {Implicit measures for preschool children confirm self-esteem{\textquoteright}s role in maintaining a balanced identity},
	journal = {Journal of Experimental Social Psychology},
	volume = {62},
	year = {2016},
	pages = {50-57},
	publisher = {Elsevier},
	abstract = {<p>Self-esteem is one of social psychology{\textquoteright}s central constructs. Despite the wide endorsement of the importance ofself-esteem, there remains substantial variation in theoretical conceptions of how self-esteem functions. To helpaddress this point, 234 5-year-old children were tested in 3 studies that used a new implicit measure, the PreschoolImplicit Association Test (PSIAT). The PSIAT assessed associations of (a) me with good (self-esteem),(b) me with boy or girl (gender identity), and (c) boy or girl with good (gender attitude). The results documentedself-esteem in 5-year-olds, as well as own-gender identity and gender in-group preferences. Interestingly,children who had high self-esteem and strong own-gender identity displayed strong gender in-group preferences,supporting balanced identity theory{\textquoteright}s theoretical expectations that implicit self-esteem serves anidentity-maintenance function, even for young children. By preschool age, children display fundamental propertiesof adult implicit social cognition that relate to maintenance and functioning of group identities.</p>
},
	isbn = {0022-1031},
	url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103115001250},
	author = {Cvencek, Dario and Greenwald, Anthony G and Meltzoff, Andrew N}
}
