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Are You for Real? Perceptions of Authenticity Are Systematically Biased and Not Accurate.
1Department of Management, Columbia University.
Psychological Science
|April 28, 2022
Summary
People often believe they can accurately identify authentic individuals. However, research shows perceived authenticity is not reliably correlated with actual authenticity, suggesting a lack of accuracy in social perception.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Interpersonal Perception
Background:
- Laypeople believe they can discern authenticity in others.
- Authenticity is considered an important interpersonal attribute.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the accuracy of perceived authenticity.
- To examine biases in authenticity judgments.
- To explore the accuracy of authenticity meta-perceptions.
Main Methods:
- Two cohorts of adult students in randomly assigned teams participated.
- Self- and other-ratings of authenticity were collected.
- Authenticity meta-perceptions were analyzed in Study 3.
Main Results:
- No significant correlation was found between self- and other-rated authenticity.
- Perceived authenticity exhibited a positivity bias and was influenced by the rater's own authenticity.
- Beliefs about the visibility of one's authenticity were inaccurate.
Conclusions:
- There is no empirical evidence that people can accurately identify who is authentic.
- Perceived authenticity is subject to significant biases, including positivity and self-referential influences.
- Individuals' meta-perceptions of their own authenticity's visibility are also inaccurate.
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