Understanding the better than average effect: motives (still) matter

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• The better than average (BTA) effect describes the tendency for individuals to rate themselves more favorably than they rate others.
• While initially attributed to motivated bias, cognitive theories have questioned the role of motivation in the BTA effect.
• Understanding the underlying mechanisms of the BTA effect is crucial for comprehending self-perception and social comparison.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether motivational processes, rather than purely cognitive ones, underlie the better than average (BTA) effect.
• To examine the influence of attribute importance and self-worth threats on the magnitude of the BTA effect.

Main Methods:

• Conducted five studies manipulating attribute importance and self-worth.
• Compared self-evaluations against single peers and varied the referent and target in social comparisons.
• Assessed changes in the BTA effect following induced threats to self-worth.

Main Results:

• The BTA effect was consistently stronger for more important attributes across all five studies.
• The BTA effect was observed when comparing self-evaluations to a single peer after accounting for attribute importance.
• Experiencing a threat to self-worth significantly increased the magnitude of the BTA effect.

Conclusions:

• The findings provide robust evidence that motivational processes are the primary drivers of the better than average (BTA) effect.
• Attribute importance and the need to maintain positive self-regard play significant roles in self-enhancement.
• The BTA effect serves a motivational function, helping to protect and bolster feelings of self-worth.