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Related Experiment Videos

Illusory self-assessments--can they be reduced?

F P McKenna1, L B Myers

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, UK.

British Journal of Psychology (London, England : 1953)
|February 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary

Accountability reduces overconfidence in personal abilities and risk assessments. Making individuals accountable for their judgments can mitigate overly optimistic self-evaluations, promoting more realistic self-perception.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Behavioral Economics

Background:

  • Individuals often exhibit optimistic biases, overestimating personal abilities and underestimating personal risks compared to peers.
  • These self-assessments, known as illusory self-assessments, are generally resistant to change.
  • Prior research suggests accountability may be a mechanism to counteract these biases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of accountability on self-assessments of personal ability and vulnerability to risk.
  • To determine if accountability can modify overly positive self-judgments.

Main Methods:

  • Two experimental studies were conducted.
  • Participants' estimates of personal ability and vulnerability were measured.
  • Varying levels of accountability for these judgments were manipulated.

Main Results:

  • Increased accountability significantly reduced positive self-assessments of ability and vulnerability.
  • The degree of reduction in optimistic bias appeared to be proportional to the strength of the accountability manipulation.
  • Accountability serves as an effective intervention against illusory self-assessments.

Conclusions:

  • Accountability is a potent moderator of self-assessment biases.
  • Implementing accountability mechanisms can lead to more realistic self-perceptions regarding abilities and risks.
  • Future research should explore the nuances of accountability in different contexts and populations.

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