True lies: self-stabilization without self-deception

Consciousness and Cognition
Werner Greve, Dirk Wentura

Abstract

Self-deception entails apparent conceptual paradoxes and poses the dilemma between two competing needs: the need for stability of the self-concept, on the one hand, and the need to accept reality, on the other. It is argued, first, that conceptual difficulties can be avoided by distinguishing two levels of explanation. Whereas, in a personal language, "the person" deceives him- or her-self, a cognitive ("subpersonal") approach explains this self-deception by reference to the interplay of cognitive processes of which the person is not aware. Second, the tension between stability and adjustment of the self can be resolved by self-immunization, which maintains the stability of central self-conceptions by adjusting peripheral aspects and their diagnostic value for the central concepts. Processes of self-immunization were investigated in a series of studies operating on both levels of explanation. Implications for psychological explanations of personal phenomena such as self-images and self-insight are discussed.

References

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Jul 27, 2004·Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin·Werner Greve, Dirk Wentura
Jul 6, 2007·American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs : Drugs, Devices, and Other Interventions·John W Funder

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Citations

Jul 11, 2014·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Bernhard LeipoldMarianna Pielniok
Feb 8, 2018·Frontiers in Psychology·Mario GollwitzerKarin Meissner
Jul 17, 2014·American Journal of Health-system Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists·April Miller QuidleyKristi Kuper

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