Simine Vazire and Erika N. Carlson - others knowing better than us??

Question 1

What are blind spots?

Answer 1

mis-perception we have of ourselves due to simply a lack of knowledge or due to motivated distortions in our self-perception

Question 2

What are the causes of blind spots?

Answer 2

1. Motivated cognitive processes
2. efficient way of processing info
   - Discrepancies between implicit + explicit perceptions of their own personality

Question 3

How does a motivated cognitive processes result in blind spots?

Answer 3

1. Sedikides + Gregg, 2008 Motive = maintain + enhance self worth
2. even if it may not be positive

Question 4

How do discrepancies between implicit + slef-perception of their own personality result in blind spots?

Answer 4

1. Back, Schmukle + Egloff (2009)
   - implicit self-views of personality predicted behaviour even after controlling for what could be predicted from their explicit self-views
   - strongest amongst extraversion + neuroticism = non-evaluative traits + people typically report honestly
   - people have implicit knowledge about their pattern of behaviour that they cannot report explicitly

Question 5

What is the difference between explicit and implicit self-perception?

Answer 5

1. Implicit = automatic associations w/ specific traits/ behaviours (based on previous patters) = more accurate
2. Explicit = associations made consciously

Question 6

What is there to suggest having blind spots may not be an efficient way of processing info?

Answer 6

• should be able to increase congruence between explicit + implicit self-views by focusing attention on behavioural manifestation of our implicit personality BUT not the case
• Hoffmann, Gschwendner + Schmitt 2009 video of themselves (implict behaiours) were unable to combine it with their explicit views of themselves
• even strangers were able to detect the implicit aspects of the target personalities

Question 7

What are our conscience self-perceptions valuable but incomplete?

Answer 7

• motive sometimes causing us to ignore aspects of personality that others can detect

Question 8

What are some explanations for why other people know more about us?

Answer 8

• info given indirectly, social media, taste of music

- bits of our personality in our day-to-day interactions

Question 9

What is important to consider when looking at others who may potentially know us better?

Answer 9

Level of acquaintance
Thomas + Fletcher, 2003 better you get along the more accurate they can infer our thoughts + feelings

BUT NOT SUPER CLOSE
- as they may be subjected to same bias/ distortions

Question 10

What evidence is there suggesting the self- and other- perceptions are roughly good at predicting?

Answer 10

1. Kolar, Funder, & Colvin, 1996; Vazire, 2010 Behaviour in lab + group discussion
2. Vazire & Mehl, 2008 Behaviour when out with friends
   BUT
   they each seem to capture different aspects of the personality

Question 11

What is the SOKA model by Vazire?

Answer 11

Self-Other Knowledge asymmetry

- maps out aspects of personality that are known uniquely known to self or other

Question 12

According to the Andersen, Glassman + Gold, 1988, the difference between what we know about ourselves and others are at random but driven by?

Answer 12

1. Differences between the info available to the self + others
2. Motivational biases that differentially affect perceptions of the self + other

Question 13

According to Vazire, what type of info is aviable for the self and other?

Answer 13

Self: internal, so better at judging internal t+ neutral traits
- thoughts, feelings
Other: External, do better at judging external traits
- overt behaviour eg charm

Question 14

How do the self and other process highly evaluative traits like rudeness + intelligence?

Answer 14

SELF: severely distorted by biases
- protect self-esteem
OTHER: mostly accurate assuming they have sufficient info
- friend’s rating = good predictor of actual behaviour although it may be more overly positive

Question 15

To know a person, what do we need, according to research?

Answer 15

1. how they see themselves

2. How they are seen by others who know them well

Question 16

How can we get access to other’s knowledge to help improve our self-knowledge?

Answer 16

1. Meta-perception - take other’s perspective of own personality
2. introspection
3. self-affirmation
4. Training in mindfulness meditation

Question 17

Why has introspection no longer suggested to be effective for getting to know ourselves?

Answer 17

limited introspection as many aspects of ourselves are hidden from conscious awareness

Question 18

What did Carlson, Furr + Vazire (2010) find about the use of meta-perception to increase knowledge of self?

Answer 18

people are aware of how we seem to others but do not seem to be very good at using the knowledge to help the knowledge of our self
- So maybe focus on impression on others?

Question 19

How do self-affirmation and training in mindfulness meditation help to improve knowledge of self?

Answer 19

1. Self-affirmation Critcher, Dunning + Armor, 2010
   - reduces defensive responding + more open to negative info about ourselves
2. Training in mindfulness meditation
   - non-judgemental attention to one’s current xp
   - improves emotions-regulation skills, memory + attention + improves ability to differentiate between transient emotional xp vs global dispositions (Williams, 2010)