lecture 9 Flashcards
key proposition of the self- verification theory
fundamental motivation to seek confirmation of existing self-conceptions
what are the key assumptions of
- stable self-views provide coherences
- patterns of living lead to stable self-views
- people fight to maintain self-views, even in discomfort
what are the two functions of self- verification
epistemic and pragmatic
epistemic
fulfills the need for coherence
stable self-views prvide us with a source of
continuity and coherence to experience
pragmatic
ensures smooth social interactions
stable self views stabilize behaviour which makes us more
predictable to others
philosophical perspective on the essential role of coherence
fundamental to understanding oneself
philosophers emphasize the importance of a unified self-concept
coherence controbutes to a meaningful and integrated self
development of self view as a lens for perceiving reality
Self-views act as a cognitive lens shaping perception
* We filter and interpret experiences through our self-concept
* Coherence in self-views establishes a cognitive foundation for understanding
the world
advantages of behavioural stability
small social groups
cooperation =
cohesion + cooperation in close knit settings
survival and self views
behavioural stability linked to survival
impact on self views in group harmony
evolutionary fitness
two classes of self verification activities
- developing a self confirmatory social environment
- cognitive biases
developing a self confirmatory social environment (3 activities)
selective interaction
displaying identity cues
interpersonal prompts
selective interaction
strategic relationship choices
psychological stability
selective interaction evidence
laboratory and field studies support the idea that people prefer self verifying evaluations
some ways in which selective interaction influences relationships
- Selective interaction influences the development and maintenance of
relationships - Positive Feedback Loop: Selecting interactions that reinforce self-views
contributes to positive relationship experiences - Individuals actively seek out and engage with others who validate their selfconceptions
cognitive biases in self verification
cogntiive biases contribute to maintaining stable self views even in the face of contradictory information
selective attention
tendency to focus on infromation that aligns with existing self views
encoding bias
information inconsistent with self views may be processed with less emphasis or altered during encoding
retrieval bias
recalling information that supports and confirms pre-existing self-conceptions
interpretation bias
interpreting ambiguous information in a manner that aligns with ones
interpretation of feedback
how people endorse feedback that aligns with their self-conceptions
preference for information that aligns with our
self views contributing to self verification
