Do we know each other as well as we think?

Self-knowledge is one of the capabilities of the human being that is defined by the ability to determine all those aspects that make up the essence of the individual himself, configuring his identity, his needs and concerns, as well as explaining the type of reasoning and reactions that the person sets in motion when faced with a certain situation.

The ability to self-observe allows the possibility of predicting one's behavior in general and brings the individual closer to forming a global idea of ​​"who he is" and "how he is". However, knowing yourself is not as simple as it may seem.

• Related article: "Self-concept: what is it and how is it formed?"

Why is it difficult for us to develop self-knowledge?

Contrary to a widely extended idea about the ease that human beings have to be able to define themselves in an objective way, the latest scientific findings seem to indicate otherwise.

Below we see the various explanations that the investigations carried out in this regard have used to help us understand why it is difficult for us to know each other.

1. Alteration of perspective due to the discrepancy

Several studies carried out seem to conclude that the human being tends to confuse the degree of objectivity with which they make judgments about their own behavior. In order to preserve a positive self-image, people tend to be benevolent about what we think about ourselves themselves and, furthermore, we are not aware of the subjectivity and partiality with which we interpret our attitudes or our behaviors.

In this way, we can more easily observe a certain error if it is made by a third party than if we have made the same mistake. Ultimately, it seems that the capacity for introspection is an illusion, since is distorted by unconscious processes.

This was demonstrated by Pronin and his team from Princeton University (2014) with various samples of experimental subjects in which they were required to assess their own and other people's behavior in different tasks: in the experimental situation, the probands continued to describe themselves as impartial even when they had to make judgments and criticisms about various aspects of the proposed task.

Likewise, this does not occur in subjects who have experienced an aversive event in childhood, the which has led to the development of insecure functioning based on self-assessment negative.

According to the "theory of self-assertion", people with low self-esteem pretend to give others a harmful image of themselves with the aim that this is coherent and reaffirms the self-image that they have of their person. This is related to the contributions proposed by Festinger (1957) on "cognitive dissonance", by which the degree of discrepancy between one's attitude and one's own Behavior produces such discomfort that the individual tends to strive to minimize it through different strategies, either by changing their behavior or by modifying the beliefs that base your attitude.

On the other hand, the Dunning and Kruger studies in 2000 gave rise to a theoretical approach which they called the "Dunning-Kruger effect" from which the greater the incompetence of a person, the lower his capacity to realize it. According to this research, only 29% correspondence was achieved on the subjects who participated in the experimental situation. between the correct self-perception of intellectual capacity and the real value obtained in the IQ (Intellectual Coefficient) individual.

In other words, it appears that once again, in order to maintain a positive self-image, “negative” characteristics or traits tend to be significantly ignored. Related to this last question, another team of researchers has found more recently that people who have a positive image moderate (and not exaggerated, as indicated above) tend to have a higher level of well-being and a high cognitive performance in tasks concrete.

• You may be interested: "Dunning-Kruger effect; the less we know, the smarter we think we are"

2. Tests to assess personality traits

Traditionally, in some areas of psychology, so-called implicit or covert techniques have been used to define personality traits, such as projective tests or implicit association tests type TAT (Appreciation Test Theme).

The foundation of this type of evidence lies in its nature that is not very reflective or rationed., since it seems to be more revealing about the subject itself those traits or characteristics expressed in a reflexive or automatic way where they are not gives rise to a possible alteration influenced by the more reflective or rational analysis that other self-report tests or questionnaire.

Science has recently found a nuance in this regard, arguing that not all personality traits are objectively reflected in an implicit way, but that they seem to be the facets that measure extraversion or sociability and neuroticism the aspects that are best measured by this type of technique. This is explained by the Mitja Back team from the University of Münster, because these two traits are more related to automatic impulse impulses or desire responses.

On the contrary, the traits of responsibility and openness to experience are usually measured more reliably through self-reports and more tests. explicit, since these last features are within the area of ​​the intellectual or the cognitive, and not the emotional as in the case previous.

3. Search for stability in a changing environment

As stated above, the human being tends to deceive himself to achieve a state of coherence regarding one's own identity. An explanation of the motivations that lead the individual to adopt this type of functioning is related with maintaining a core of stability (one's own identity) in the face of such a variable and changing environment that surrounds.

Thus, an adaptive resource as a species resides in maintaining self-perception in these social contexts so that the external image offered coincides with the internal one. Apparently, experts conclude that the perception of one's character as a rigid, immutable and static phenomenon contributes security to the individual and facilitate the ability to orient oneself with a minimum of order within an uncertain context such as the world Exterior.

However, a rigid operation is often associated with a low ability to tolerate uncertainty and frustration, which is generated when reality differs from personal expectations, leading to an increase in emotional distress. In short, under the pretext of endowing oneself with a greater degree of security and well-being, the current human being is achieving precisely the opposite effect: an increase in their own concerns and in the level of anxiety.

As a last note, what is indicated above adds a nuance to the so-called “Self-fulfilling Prophecy, according to which people are inclined to behave according to the image they present of themselves. The nuance resides in considering that the application of this theoretical principle takes place when the trait is variable, but not when it is static.

Thus, as found by Carol Dweck (2017) in a study carried out by Stanford University of California, in the face of innate personal characteristics (such as strength of will or intelligence) the motivation invested to reinforce it is less than in the face of changing traits (for example, as usually happens with one's own weaknesses).

The benefits of meditation and Mindfulness

Erika Carlson studied the relationship between the habitual practice of mindfulness meditation training and the ability to be objective in evaluating one's own person, finding a positive correlation between the two elements.

Apparently, this type of practice allows you to take distance from yourself and of the cognitions themselves to be able to analyze more rationally the characteristics and traits that make up the "I" of an individual, since they allow the subject can detach himself from said thoughts and messages, assuming that he can let them pass without identifying with them to simply observe them without judge them.

Conclution

The preceding lines have shown that the human being tends to alter the image that he has of itself as a defense or “survival” mechanism with respect to the demands of the environment in which interacts. The contributions of the theories of cognitive dissonance, Self-fulfilling Prophecy, Dunning-Kruger Effect, etc., are just some phenomena that put manifest the scarce objectivity with which individuals elaborate the definition of their own identity.

Bibliographic references:

• Ayan, S. The essence of the self. In Mind and Brain. Vol 92 (2018), pp. 31-39.
• Brookings, J. B., & Serratelli, A. J. (2006). Positive illusions: Positively correlated with subjective well-being, negatively correlated with a measure of personal growth. In Psychological Reports, 98 (2), 407-413.
• Hansen K., Gerbasi M., Todorov A., Kruse E., and Pronin E. People Claim Objectivity After Knowingly Using Biased Strategies Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Vol 40, Issue 6, pp. 691 – 699. First Published February 21, 2014.
• Pronin, E. (2009). The introspection illusion. In Advances in experimental social psychology, 41, 1-67.