The Truth About Self-Deception
By: Krystina Murphy
What is Self-Deception?
Example of Self Deception:
- We all like to travel but some people decide to travel when things go wrong in the town they live in. Those people might have failed to succeed there or might have failed to develop good relationships with the people around them and that's why they decide to escape. But again because escapement feels bad self deception comes to save the day. The person might lie to himself by claiming that he loves to travel while in fact he loves to escape.
Experimental Study Showing How Self-Deception Works:
---> They gathered 38 students who were told they were going to take part in a study about the “psychological and medical aspects of athletics”. But, what the participants didn't know is what they were being asked to do was different from what they were actually testing was the ability to trick them into thinking the duration of the time that they could submerge their arm under cold water would give them their diagnostic of their health status.
What the participants did?
--->The participants were first asked to plunge their arms into cold water for as long as they could. (Most participants lasted a duration of 30-40 seconds). Then they were given tasks that pertained to athletics so that the study seemed accurate on what they were testing, at least, to the participants.
Next?
---> The researches told the participants that there are two types of hearts:
Self-Deception in Class:
Yes. The story about the elementary kids when the teacher had told her students that the color of you eyes determined your obedience. She saw quickly that the children who eyes were of the most obedient color, blue, were more well-mannered, while the kids who were told were the trouble makers, brown eyes, were acting as if they were rebellious. She then came in and said she had made a mistake, and blue eyes were actually the trouble makers, and she saw that the manners of the children had swapped instantly being told that.
Is there self-deception in class?
Yes. Examples would be using excuses to get out of things, and constantly using them to help the one using the excuses cope.
Why Do People Deceive Themselves?
- It typically happens on the unconscious level; helps a person full-fill a goal
- Main psychological balance
- To Protect their ego
- Don't want to feel inadequate
- To cope
How Can You Protect Yourself From Self-Deception?
- The easiest way to protect yourself from self-deception is to be honest with yourself
- Don't tell yourself or others little "white" lies
- Find other coping techniques
- Stay away from, "I can't", "But", "What if", etc
- Recognize the problem
- Get help if needed