Positive illusions about the self: Short-term benefits and long-term costs.

Abstract

Two studies addressed parallel questions about the correlates and consequences of self-enhancement bias. Study 1 was conducted in a laboratory context and examined self-enhancing evaluations of performance in a group-interaction task. Study 2 assessed students' illusory beliefs about their academic ability when they first entered college and then followed them longitudinally to test claims about the long-term benefits of positive illusions. Both studies showed that self-enhancement bias was related to narcissism, ego involvement, self-serving attributions, and positive affect. Study 2 found that self-enhancement was associated with decreasing levels of self-esteem and well-being as well as with increasing disengagement from the academic context. Self-enhancement did not predict higher academic performance or higher graduate rates. Thus, the findings suggest that self-enhancing beliefs may be adaptive in the short term but not in the long term.

A status-enhancement account of overconfidence.

“…Thus, whether overconfidence brings benefits or costs likely depends on the person, the context, and the outcome under consideration. This notion fits more broadly with others' arguments that the effects of overly positive self perceptions are mixed (e.g., Kwan et al, 2004;Paulhus, 1998;Robins & Beer, 2001). …”

“…We also did not expect that the need for achievement would predict 37STATUS ENHANCEMENT ACCOUNT OF OVERCONFIDENCE overconfidence. Prior research suggests that overly positive self perceptions might not facilitate achievement (e.g., Robins & Beer, 2001). Therefore, those who seek to achieve might not be motivated to engage in overconfidence; such a practice would not further their goals.…”

“…Therefore, people in those studies who believed they were better than others might have in fact been better than others. It is critical to assess whether inaccurate self perceptions per se lead to those benefits.Still other scholars have examined overly positive self perceptions using what Kwan and colleagues called a self insight approach, which compares individuals' self perceptions to others' perceptions of them (Anderson, Srivastava, Beer, Spataro, & Chatman, 2006; Colvin, Block, & Funder, 1995;John & Robins, 1994;Paulhus, 1998;Robins & Beer, 2001). In this approach, individuals whose self perceptions are loftier than others' perceptions of them are considered to possess overly positive self views.…”

Perceiving others’ personalities: Examining the dimensionality, assumed similarity to the self, and stability of perceiver effects.

“…The group interactions were facilitated by an experimenter. During Week 1, subjects completed a "Lost on the Moon" group problemsolving task (see Robins & Beer, 2001). In Week 2, subjects completed a modified closeness-generating task in which they took turns answering questions that gradually increased in selfdisclosure (adapted from Aron, Melinat, Aron, Vallone, & Bator, 1997).…”

Analyse longitudinale des relations entre le biais négatif d’autoévaluation de compétence et le sentiment d’imposture chez les élèves

“…Dans le cas du domaine scolaire, les résultats sont plus cohérents en ce sens que le biais positif d'autoévaluation de compétence est généralement associé à un meilleur fonctionnement scolaire chez les élèves (Bouffard et al, 1998;Brissette et al, 2002;Gresham et al, 2000;Robins et Beer, 2001). Surévaluer sa compétence sur une période de cinq ans a été associé, à terme, à moins d'anxiété scolaire et à un meilleur rendement en français et en mathématiques (Bouffard, Vezeau, Roy et Lengelé, 2011).…”