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Not your average bigot: The better-than-average effect and defensive responding to Implicit Association Test feedback
Jennifer L Howell1, Kate A Ratliff2
1Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA.
The British Journal of Social Psychology
|October 7, 2016
Summary
People often believe they are less biased than average. This study found that this "better-than-average" belief intensifies defensive reactions when individuals receive feedback indicating personal bias, particularly societal bias.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Bias Research
Background:
- The better-than-average effect is a well-documented cognitive bias where individuals perceive themselves as superior to their peers.
- Previous research has not extensively explored this effect in the context of stereotyping and prejudice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if better-than-average beliefs extend to domains of stereotyping and prejudice.
- To test if these beliefs predict defensive responses to feedback about personal bias.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted, utilizing archival data and direct experimentation.
- Implicit Association Tests (IATs) were used to assess bias, alongside measures of defensiveness and social-comparative beliefs.
Main Results:
- Participants generally held better-than-average beliefs regarding their own bias levels.
- Individuals exhibited defensive responses when presented with feedback indicating personal bias.
- The tendency to respond defensively was amplified by better-than-average beliefs, especially for societally endorsed biases.
Conclusions:
- Better-than-average beliefs play a significant role in how individuals react to feedback about their biases.
- This research highlights the moderating influence of social-comparative judgments on responses to implicit attitude feedback.
- Findings open new avenues for research on self-perception and bias management.
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