Beautiful mess effect: Self-other differences in evaluation of showing vulnerability
Anna Bruk1, Sabine G Scholl1, Herbert Bless1
1Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|July 20, 2018
Summary
People fear showing vulnerability, evaluating it more negatively when they are the ones being vulnerable. However, they view others’ vulnerability more positively due to abstract thinking, as demonstrated in seven studies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Showing vulnerability is common in situations like confessing feelings or admitting mistakes.
- Fear often prevents individuals from displaying vulnerability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate self-other differences in evaluating vulnerability.
- To explore the role of construal level theory in these differences.
Main Methods:
- Seven studies were conducted across various vulnerability scenarios.
- Construal level theory was used to frame hypotheses and analyze results.
Main Results:
- Individuals evaluate their own vulnerability more negatively than others' vulnerability.
- This self-other difference is linked to concrete (self) versus abstract (other) mental representations.
- The effect was observed in diverse situations, including real-life contexts.
Conclusions:
- People tend to judge their own vulnerability more harshly than they judge others'.
- Mental construal level significantly influences the evaluation of vulnerability.
- Understanding these differences can inform social interactions and self-perception.
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