Maintaining a positive self-concept: Positive Illusions

We are all gifted by God in the ability to take a tendentiously positive view of our-self- which is self enhancement. This blog talks mostly about what we already do to maintain the positive self image and you’d be surprised at what all you do at the subconscious level which makes you look more and more like a Narcissist  (but you’re not- ’cause everyone does this).

Taylor and Brown (1988) gave the term “Positive Illusions” which refers to such biases like unrealistic positive self-evaluation, perception of control, overoptimism etc.Most such strategies often take precedence over long term goals. These can be divided into:

1. Self Enhancement: which operates routinely and regulates the positivity of self concept. it focuses on attaining and maximising self-view.
2. Self Protection: It operates in response to threat to self-concept and focuses on repairing self-view.

Some people possess unrealistic positive self-view: they believe they are better than average (called better than average effect- BTAE; also known as the “Lake Wobegon Effect”) and have far more positive traits than negative ones. They also apply this to persons or objects related to self (like relationships, possession and group)

In defiance of mathematical possibility, about 80% of high school students rate themselves in the top 10% in ability to get along with others. Even people who have been hospitalised after causing auto accidents rate themselves as more skillful than average drivers (Greenberg et al., 1997)