Impressions of self-esteem influence impressions of close others and predictions for hypothetical events

ABSTRACT Individuals with low self-esteem (LSE) may be devalued, whereas individuals with high self-esteem (HSE) are typically praised in Western society. People readily infer traits based on impressions of self-esteem. Across two studies, we address whether impressions of a hypothetical target person’s self-esteem influence judgments beyond the target’s personality. Results revealed that the target’s self-esteem influenced impressions of personality not only of the target, but of their mother and best friend. Moreover, when the target was portrayed as having LSE compared to HSE, participants made more pessimistic estimates of imagined future experiences with the target, even when the controllability of events varied. Overall, impressions of a target’s self-esteem spread beyond the target, influencing perceptions of their close associates and future events.