TY - JOUR
T1 - Beyond oversights, lies, and pies in the sky
T2 - Exaggeration as goal projection
AU - Willard, Greg
AU - Gramzow, Richard H.
PY - 2009/4
Y1 - 2009/4
N2 - The adaptiveness of overly positive self-evaluation is heavily debated. The present research emphasizes that costs and benefits of positive biases are contingent upon their underlying motives. Five studies explored psychological and performance correlates of the tendency to exaggerate academic performance. Students who exaggerated in a private reporting context showed greater achievement motivation and positive affect (Study 1), challenge and approach orientations (Study 2), and observer-rated composure during a stressful mock job interview (Study 3). Moreover, exaggeration predicted subsequent academic improvements. This form of exaggeration apparently reflects an adaptive tendency to project positive goals onto self-reports. In contrast, exaggeration in a more public context was associated with social desirability motives and not with positive affect, approach/challenge motives, or improvement (Study 4). Making actual performance salient (by highlighting that records would be checked) reduced exaggeration; students who exaggerated in this context did not improve over time, instead showing performance decrements (Study 5).
AB - The adaptiveness of overly positive self-evaluation is heavily debated. The present research emphasizes that costs and benefits of positive biases are contingent upon their underlying motives. Five studies explored psychological and performance correlates of the tendency to exaggerate academic performance. Students who exaggerated in a private reporting context showed greater achievement motivation and positive affect (Study 1), challenge and approach orientations (Study 2), and observer-rated composure during a stressful mock job interview (Study 3). Moreover, exaggeration predicted subsequent academic improvements. This form of exaggeration apparently reflects an adaptive tendency to project positive goals onto self-reports. In contrast, exaggeration in a more public context was associated with social desirability motives and not with positive affect, approach/challenge motives, or improvement (Study 4). Making actual performance salient (by highlighting that records would be checked) reduced exaggeration; students who exaggerated in this context did not improve over time, instead showing performance decrements (Study 5).
KW - Academic performance
KW - Approach and avoidance
KW - Challenge and threat
KW - Self-evaluation
KW - Social desirability
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U2 - 10.1177/0146167208329631
DO - 10.1177/0146167208329631
M3 - Article
C2 - 19171773
AN - SCOPUS:62249159950
SN - 0146-1672
VL - 35
SP - 477
EP - 492
JO - Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
JF - Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
IS - 4
ER -