The Unbearable Darkness of Being and a Toolkit for How We Forge It: Comparative Biases

Abstract

Many areas of science deal with “appropriate” behaviors, estimations, and feelings. In this chapter we will describe several different concepts in (social) psychology focusing on inappropriate, misleading, and inaccurate estimations (e.g., totalitarian ego, distortions of memories; illusion of control in uncontrollable situations; illusions of well-being, inflated self-worth; egotism).Our main interests are two concepts we describe in detail: better than average (inflated confidence in one’s own worth) and unrealistic optimism (the expectation that positive events will happen to us while negative to others). These two theories are especially interesting due to the fact that we employ them during great threats and moments of crisis. In a later chapter, we present these illusions as crucial factors in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.