Lecture 20 - Self IV (Self-Enhancement) Flashcards
What is the bias in the Better Than Average effect?
We use ourselves as the basis of comparison (egocentric). If we are bad at it, then most people are as well, and vice versa. Not actually about peer performance.
What did Kruger’s study find about the bias in the BTA effect?
Asked participants to rate own ability and others’ ability on 4 easy and 4 hard tasks. Own ratings predicted the comparative judgments (I’m bad at coding, so everyone is bad at coding) but this did not reflect actual peer ability.
What is the difference between Westerners and Easterners on self-enhancement?
Westerners self-enhance significantly more than East Asians (moderate to large effect size). There is a significant self-enhancing bias in Westerners. There is a smaller significant self-enhancing bias in Easterners but also a significant self-criticism bias.
Why do East Asians self-enhance less than Westerners?
East Asians focus on self-improvement over self-enhancement. Also they tend to rate those around them better than themselves, as this elicits positive feelings -> ‘relationship enhancement.’
What did the study on Canadian and Japanese participants reveal about self-enhancement and self-improvement?
Participants either failed or passed a Remote Associates Test, then were given time to retry. Passed Canadians tried significantly more than passed Japanese (self-enhancement), while failed Japanese tried for longer than failed Canadians (self-improvement).
What are the positive effects of self-enhancement?
Positive illusions (BTA effect) promote mental health, increased happiness/contentment and promote capacity for creativity, productive work, etc.
How does self-enhancing benefit us when deceiving others?
When we deceive ourselves, it is easier to deceive others because we genuinely believe the deceit (more self-confidence -> social/material gains). Conscious lying is more difficult.
Ugly/pretty face study: 10% prettier face; faster to recognise prettier than uglier.
