L - 21 The Self V Flashcards
What is Swann’s Self-Verification Theory?
Self-verification theory says that we do not always want to self enhance.
Sometimes we just want our self-views to be verified and have others see us in the way we see ourselves.
Why might people be motivated to self-verify?
- helps to stabilise self-view.
- guide behaviour.
- evolutionarily, stable self-views promote group survival
(division of tasks). - self-verifying information fosters positive affect.
What are the strategies for self-verification?
By constructing self-verifying “opportunity structures”:
- seek self-verifying partners.
- communicate our self-views to these people (through
behaviour or identity cues). - “see” self-verifying evidence (biases in information
attention and recall).
How did Seih et al. (2013) study the cultural differences on self-verification between Indians and North Americans?
After completing self-report questionnaires on sociability, participants were then given an either positive or negative evaluation (supposedly from another person). Participants then rated the accuracy of these evaluations.
What were the cultural differences found by Seih et al. (2013) on self-verification between Indians and North Americans?
Indian participants with positive self-views rated the positive evaluations as more accurate than the negative evaluations.
Indian participants with negative self-views rated the negative evaluations as more accurate -> self-verification.
North Americans displayed the same pattern as Indians, with a stronger self-verification effect.
What did Kwang and Swann (2010) find in regards to the different times which people are likely to self-enhance as opposed to self-verify?
On cognitive responses (e.g. perceived accuracy of feedback) people are more likely to self-verify.
On affective responses (e.g. mood) people are more likely to self-enhance.
On relationship quality, it depends on the level of rejection risk.
- See Lecture 21, slide 20 for table.
What are the differences between using self-enhancement and self-verification in regard to rejection risk?
If rejection risk is high (e.g. dating): self-enhancement > self-verification.
If rejection risk is low (e.g. married): self-verification > self-enhancement.
