Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

56.8K
Multicellular organisms employ a variety of ways for cells to communicate with each other. Gap junctions are specialized proteins that form pores between neighboring cells in animals, connecting the cytoplasm between the two, and allowing for the exchange of molecules and ions. They are found in a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate species, mediate numerous functions including cell differentiation and development, and are associated with numerous human diseases, including cardiac and...
56.8K
Gap Junctions01:27

Gap Junctions

9.3K
The cytoplasm of adjacent animal cells can exchange small molecules, ions, and secondary messengers via the communication channels which form the gap junctions. These junctions comprise a few hundred to thousands of molecular channels, each made of two halves, called the connexon hemichannel. A connexon is a hexamer of six transmembrane connexin proteins, which assemble radially, thus forming a pore or channel in the center. One connexon hemichannel docks with a corresponding connexon on the...
9.3K
Mismatch Repair01:20

Mismatch Repair

6.3K
Organisms are capable of detecting and fixing nucleotide mismatches that occur during DNA replication. This sophisticated process requires identifying the new strand and replacing the erroneous bases with correct nucleotides. Mismatch repair is coordinated by many proteins in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
The Mutator Protein Family Plays a Key Role in DNA Mismatch Repair
The human genome has more than 3 billion base pairs of DNA per cell. Prior to cell division, that vast amount of genetic...
6.3K
Mismatch Repair01:36

Mismatch Repair

43.5K
Overview
43.5K
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects01:29

Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects

272
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
272
Self-Discrepancy Theory02:45

Self-Discrepancy Theory

18.9K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.  
18.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Enhanced electrical performance of tellurium FETs via ultra-thin atomic-layer-deposited Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>interlayer for Fermi-level de-pinning.

Nanotechnology·2026
Same author

Developing and Applying an Evaluative Rubric to Support Continuing Education for Disease Intervention Professionals.

Public health reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974)·2026
Same author

How long will perfluoroalkyl substances persist in sludge-amended soils?: Century-scale regional accumulation-decay modeling for North America, Europe, and Asia.

Journal of hazardous materials·2026
Same author

Highly Stable Chip-Scale Tellurium Memtransistor Based on Field-Induced Oxygen Vacancy Migration.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026
Same author

High-throughput screening of small molecule Wnt/β-catenin activators for hair and nail growth.

Communications biology·2026
Same author

Development of Novel Small-Molecule Targeting SCN1A-Associated Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy of Infancy.

Journal of medicinal chemistry·2026
Same journal

Outgroup friendships and social influence in the development of adolescent attitudes toward secondary outgroups.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2026
Same journal

The impact of "relational" Artificial Intelligence on human well-being: A self-determination theory analysis.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2026
Same journal

Is my loneliness killing me? Effects of loneliness and social isolation on transitions between cognitive status categories and death.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2026
Same journal

Listening across the divide: High-quality listening promotes speakers' state well-being through basic psychological need satisfaction during disagreements.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2026
Same journal

Morality cut both ways: The role of cognition and emotion in attitude moralization and demoralization.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2026
Same journal

The predictive validity of vocational interests for life outcomes across adulthood.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 14, 2026

A Tool to Automatically Create Stable and Reproducible Cell-free Gaps for Improving the Reliability of Cell Wound Healing Assay
06:13

A Tool to Automatically Create Stable and Reproducible Cell-free Gaps for Improving the Reliability of Cell Wound Healing Assay

Published on: October 4, 2024

994

The failure gap.

Lauren Eskreis-Winkler1, Kaitlin Woolley2, Minhee Kim3

  • 1Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|October 27, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

People consistently underestimate failures, a phenomenon called the failure gap. This underestimation impacts policy decisions, but closing this gap can lead to more equitable outcomes.

More Related Videos

Detection of Post-Replicative Gaps Accumulation and Repair in Human Cells Using the DNA Fiber Assay
10:32

Detection of Post-Replicative Gaps Accumulation and Repair in Human Cells Using the DNA Fiber Assay

Published on: February 3, 2022

7.6K
Fabricating Nanogaps by Nanoskiving
07:36

Fabricating Nanogaps by Nanoskiving

Published on: May 13, 2013

11.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 14, 2026

A Tool to Automatically Create Stable and Reproducible Cell-free Gaps for Improving the Reliability of Cell Wound Healing Assay
06:13

A Tool to Automatically Create Stable and Reproducible Cell-free Gaps for Improving the Reliability of Cell Wound Healing Assay

Published on: October 4, 2024

994
Detection of Post-Replicative Gaps Accumulation and Repair in Human Cells Using the DNA Fiber Assay
10:32

Detection of Post-Replicative Gaps Accumulation and Repair in Human Cells Using the DNA Fiber Assay

Published on: February 3, 2022

7.6K
Fabricating Nanogaps by Nanoskiving
07:36

Fabricating Nanogaps by Nanoskiving

Published on: May 13, 2013

11.6K

Area of Science:

  • Social Psychology
  • Behavioral Economics
  • Public Policy

Background:

  • Individuals exhibit a systematic unawareness of problems and failures occurring around them.
  • This unawareness, termed the 'failure gap,' spans numerous life domains at individual, national, and international levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and nature of the failure gap.
  • To explore the reasons behind this underestimation of failures.
  • To examine the policy implications and potential correctability of the failure gap.

Main Methods:

  • Empirical studies across 30+ domains assessing public awareness of failures versus successes.
  • Analysis of failure underreporting relative to success.
  • Intervention studies to assess the impact of closing the failure gap on policy support and social attitudes.

Main Results:

  • People significantly underestimate the frequency of failures (e.g., species extinction, undetected security threats).
  • Failure is consistently underreported compared to success across various contexts.
  • Closing the failure gap influences policy support, reducing punitive measures and social stigma.

Conclusions:

  • The failure gap is a widespread and impactful cognitive bias.
  • Awareness of failures is crucial for informed decision-making in policy and social contexts.
  • Interventions aimed at closing the failure gap can foster more compassionate and effective policies.