ILLUSIONS ABOUT THE SELF 1 Flashcards
search for self-knowledge is guided by a few self-evaluation motives:
(What are the two?)
*Self-assessment
*Self-enhancement
What is the Self-Assessment Motive?
*Motive to see ourselves accurately
*Leads to people seeking objective feedback about their abilities and characteristics in order to reduce uncertainty about the self-concept
*Pragmatic function because allows us to develop accurate and realistic goals for ourselves
What is the Self-Enhancement Motive?
Motive to maximize how positively we see ourselves
*Functions to attain or maintain self-esteem
*Guides people toward situations in which they believe they will excel or can promote their positive qualities which will help them increase their self-esteem
*Leads us to seek self-knowledge that is enhancing and therefore often biased and unrealistic
What are the three types of illusions of the self?
1.Overly positive self-evaluations
2.Illusions of control
3.Unrealistic optimism bias
What are Overly Positive Self-Evaluations?
People use more positive traits to describe themselves than negative traits
We’re more likely to forget negative feedback about ourselves than positive feedback
*Remember successes more easily
*Tendency to engage in downward (vs. upward) social comparisons
*Self-serving attributional bias:
*We claim credit for successes but blame failures on the situation
See our talents as unique, weaknesses as common
But how do we know that Overly Positive Self-Evaluations are illusions?
- Better-than-average-effect
*Most people rate their abilities as better than the average person even though it is statistically impossible for most people to be above average - We rate ourselves better than objectively warranted
How does the better then average effect relate to desirable Traits?
*The more desirable a trait, the more people see themselves as better than average on this trait (r = 0.77)
*The more desirable a trait, the more likely people see this trait as descriptive of themselves (r = 0.92)
Explain how we are unskilled and unaware?
People consistently over-estimate their ability in various domains, especially those that are below average in a domain
(people who are the worst at something (ex. logical reasoning, grammar, or humor) rate themselves as above average
To what extent are these overly positive self-evaluations universal? (are they just in individualistic cultures? Just for people with high esteem?)
(Study)
Western samples report higher self-esteem than Japanese samples
How is self esteem acculturated (study findings)?
As people stay in a western culture longer (ex. 2nd or third gen immigrant) they are more inline with the typical self esteem findings
What is the Pancultural Self-Enhancement hypothesis?
Fundamental need for positive self-views so self-enhancement is universal, just looks different in different cultures
*People in individualistic cultures will self-enhance on individualistic traits
*People in collectivistic cultures will self-enhance on collectivistic traits
What were the results on a study on pancultural self enhancement?
Recruited American and Japanese students
*Rated how well individualistic and collectivistic traits described them compared to a typical cultural group members
FOUND: Americans self-enhanced more on individualistic traits, and Japanese self-enhanced more on collectivistic traits
Is self-enhancement unique to people with moderate or high self-esteem?
No
What are the two Self-Enhancement Strategies?
- Self-advancement: Increasing how positively you see yourself
*e.g. overly positive self-evaluations - Self-protection: Limiting how negatively you see yourself by avoiding or deflecting threats to self-esteem
*Attributing failures to external circumstances
*Avoiding situations that might lead to failure
Self Protection
What is Self-handicapping?
creating obstacles that can later be blamed for failure (e.g. procrastination, lack of effort)
- If I tried I would have passed, But I didn’t
Explain how Self-enhancement is universal, just looks different depending on a person’s self-esteem?
*High self-esteem: More likely to use self-advancement
*Low self-esteem: More likely to use self-protection
Jordan gives a presentation at work, but their ideas are met with little enthusiasm from colleagues. What would be most consistent with self-protection?
Thinks nobody understood and moved on (attempt to protect themselves)
What are Illusions of Personal Control?
The idea that we have control over our lives is central to most theories of self-esteem and well-being
*BUT,personal control beliefs tend to be greater than what’s justified (i.e., illusory):
*People believe they have more control over outcome of dice if they’re allowed to throw them than if someone else throws them
What does neuroscience say about illusions of personal control?
Neurons in motor area begin firing ~1500ms before decision to move (W)
*Based on neural firing in motor area, able to predict a person’s decision to move with 80% accuracy 700 ms before they were consciously aware of deciding to move
*Suggests that decisions to move are not made consciously even though it feels that way
What is the Unrealistic Optimism Bias?
People tend to think that they are less likely than others to experience negative events and more likely to experience positive event
How did people test the Unrealistic Optimism Bias?
Difficult to establish whether an individual is being overly optimistic
*Easier to test by asking people to compare self to others:
How likely is it that ____ will happen to you?How likely is it that ____ will happen to a peer (same age, gender, education level, etc.)?
*Statistically, not everyone can have a bright future
FOUND: Compared to others, people believe that they are less likely to: experience bad things
Compared to others, people believe that they are more likely to: experience good things
What is the Unrealistic Optimism Bias in smokers?
Smokers underestimate their risk of lung cancer compared to non-smokers but also compared to the average smoker
Can we Reduce Unrealistic Optimism?
(Study on drinking problems)
undergraduates reflected on their risk of developing a drinking problem
Two Conditions:
1. “List the risk factors that you possess that increase your chances of developing a drinking problem.”
2. Do nothing
Then rated:
*Own risk of developing a drinking problem
*Average college student’s risk of developing drinking problem
FOUND: Thinking about own risk factors for developing a drinking problem did not decrease optimism bias
(Still think your less at risk)
Are all these illusions adaptive?
Do individual differences in self-esteem, beliefs about control, and optimism about the future predict adjustment to college?
(STUDY)
study of first students’ adjustment to university
*Assessed positive illusions
Looked for impacts on adjustment and GPA
FOUND:
*Adjustment:
*Higher self-esteem and more optimism led to better adjustment
*GPA:
*Higher self-esteem led to higher cumulative GPA
*Suggests that positive illusions lead to better outcomes
Are illusions still adaptive and helpful in more challenging circumstances? (AIDS)
Investigated adaptive (vs. maladaptive) consequences of unrealistic optimism
Recruited HIV+ and HIV-men
*Measured AIDS-specific optimism:
EX: “I feel safe from AIDS because I’ve developed an immunity”
FOUND:
HIV+ men showed more AIDS-specific optimism than HIV –men (weren’t sick, so nothing to worry about)
- More AIDS-specific optimism associated with:
*Higher perceived control
*More active coping
*More healthy behaviour: More likely to practice safe sex and exercise regularly
Suggests that unrealistic optimism is an adaptive response and does not compromise health behavior
What was found with Expectations & AIDS Course? (STUDY)
Recruited men diagnosed with AIDS for 1 year
*Assessed realistic acceptance (i.e., not unrealistic optimism) of diagnosis:
*“I tried to accept what might happen”
*“I prepare myself for the worst”
How does acceptance vs optimism affect survival?
*Results: Estimated survival time 9 months shorter for individuals showing a high degree of acceptance!
How do illusions impact mental health?
Illusions appear to positively impact our adjustment to the ups and downs of life as well as challenging major life events
*Illusions are adaptive and appear to be fairly pervasive
When informed of illusions and biases, people think they are less prone to them… is this true?
That is self-enhancing!
*But on follow-up, these people demonstrated many of these biases
