OVERVALUATION OF OWN ATTRIBUTES - MERE OWNERSHIP OR SUBJECTIVE FREQUENCY

The hypothesis was tested that the Name-Letter Effect or affective ove rvaluation of own name-letters as compared to non-name-letters (Nuttin , 1985, 1987) is due to an enhanced subjective frequency of own name-l etters as compared to non-name-letters. Experiment 1 yielded a Name-Le tter Effect and an overestimation of own name-letters' frequencies as compared to non-name-letters. Both effects were correlated. Experiment s 2 and 3 replicated both effects but not their correlation. In Experi ment 3, subjects who were satisfied with their own name showed a stron ger Name-Letter Effect (but no stronger name-letter frequency overesti mation) than subjects who were relatively dissatisfied with it. Result s run counter to the subjective frequency hypothesis and support the m ere ownership hypothesis, which states that merely belonging to one's self (mere ownership) is a sufficient condition for the enhancement of the attractiveness of an object and its constitutive elements. The im plications of both name-letter overvaluation phenomena for cognitive a nd affective self-referent processes are discussed.