Self-protection and self-enhancement motives lead perceivers to sacrifice accuracy in person perception¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · theoretical r3 · q1
Currency · newest study 2018 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q1 i? Perceivers sacrifice accuracy when perceiving would threaten their self-esteem or self-concept, via biases such as self-serving biases, the spotlight effect, naïve realism, and confirmation bias. → Gehlbach 2018

Evidence¶

Gehlbach 2018¶

Gehlbach, H., & Vriesema, C. C. (2018). Meta‐bias: A practical theory of motivated thinking. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-018-9454-6

q1 · i? · theoretical · r3

Theoretical argument stating the second meta-bias. The authors align with Kunda's view that self-enhancing perceptions are viable so long as people can ground them in sensible explanations, and note this motive biases self-perceptions more frequently than the efficiency motive. No new empirical test is reported.

"Second, we will also sacrifice accuracy if we feel compelled to protect, heal, maintain, or enhance our sense of self (Kunda, 1990)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Cognitive efficiency motives lead perceivers to sacrifice accuracy in person perception — related
• In-group/out-group bias serves both cognitive efficiency and self-enhancement simultaneously — related
• Boundary conditions: some biases fit the two meta-biases only with argument or for some subgroups — related
• Under situationally increased self-enhancement motivation, people prefer positive feedback regardless of its perceived accuracy — a narrower finding that bears on this claim