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Deception: Deception: How We Fool How We Fool Ourselves Ourselves Anna C. Salter, Ph.D. Anna C. Salter, Ph.D.

TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

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Texas Forensic Mental Health Conference Presenter: Dr. SalterPresentation: Fooling Ourselves#2

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Page 1: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Deception:Deception:

How We Fool OurselvesHow We Fool Ourselves

Anna C. Salter, Ph.D.Anna C. Salter, Ph.D.

Page 2: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

““I choose to believe there is good in I choose to believe there is good in everyone because of the unintended everyone because of the unintended consequences to my life if I do not. I feel consequences to my life if I do not. I feel an openness to others that wouldn’t be an openness to others that wouldn’t be there if I didn’t believe that there’s good in there if I didn’t believe that there’s good in everybody.”everybody.”

Page 3: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

““I have a guardian angel that looks after I have a guardian angel that looks after me.”me.”

““Everything happens for a reason.”Everything happens for a reason.”

““Things turn out for the best.”Things turn out for the best.”

Page 4: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Positive IllusionsPositive Illusions

Page 5: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Matlin & Stang. Matlin & Stang.

The Pollyanna Principle. The Pollyanna Principle.

19781978

Summarized over 1000 studiesSummarized over 1000 studies

Page 6: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

1. When exposed to pleasant and unpleasant 1. When exposed to pleasant and unpleasant experiences for experiences for equalequal periods of time, periods of time, people report the pleasant were more people report the pleasant were more frequent. frequent.

2. People remember pleasant information 2. People remember pleasant information better and more accurately than better and more accurately than unpleasant. unpleasant.

(Matlin and Stang, 1978)(Matlin and Stang, 1978)

Page 7: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

3. 3. Pleasant information is easier to learn Pleasant information is easier to learn than unpleasant. than unpleasant.

4. People recognize pleasant words quicker 4. People recognize pleasant words quicker than unpleasant. than unpleasant.

(Matlin and Stang, 1978)(Matlin and Stang, 1978)

Page 8: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

5.5. People exaggerate the likelihood of pleasant People exaggerate the likelihood of pleasant events. events.

6.6. The pleasant member of antonym pairs is said The pleasant member of antonym pairs is said before the unpleasant, for instance, good-bad, before the unpleasant, for instance, good-bad, sweet-sour, right-wrong. sweet-sour, right-wrong.

7. Pleasant words tended to enter the English 7. Pleasant words tended to enter the English language first and have higher frequencies language first and have higher frequencies than do unpleasant. than do unpleasant.

Page 9: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

8. People use positive terms far more often 8. People use positive terms far more often than negative whether in writing or than negative whether in writing or speaking. speaking.

9. People slant their memories in a positive 9. People slant their memories in a positive direction over time. direction over time.

Page 10: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

10. People think the present is better for 10. People think the present is better for them personally than the past and the them personally than the past and the future will be better still regardless of the future will be better still regardless of the actual probabilities. actual probabilities.

Page 11: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Rated Selves More Positively Rated Selves More Positively than Peer of Same Sex and Agethan Peer of Same Sex and Age

87%87%

(Taylor, Lerner et al., Submitted for Publication)(Taylor, Lerner et al., Submitted for Publication)

Page 12: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

One’s StrengthsOne’s Strengths ImportantImportant

RareRare

One’s FailingsOne’s Failings UnimportantUnimportant

CommonCommon(Campbell, 1986; Marks, 1984)s(Campbell, 1986; Marks, 1984)s

Page 13: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Time is on Our SideTime is on Our Side

Poor PerformancePoor Performance

Remember as BetterRemember as Better

20 Minutes Later20 Minutes Later

(Greenwald, (Greenwald, 1980)1980)

Page 14: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

FeedbackFeedback

PositivePositive Recalled EasilyRecalled Easily

Process Process QuicklyQuickly

NegativeNegative Hard to RecallHard to Recall

Processed SlowlyProcessed Slowly

(Kuiper and Derry 1982; Kuiper and MacDonald (Kuiper and Derry 1982; Kuiper and MacDonald 1982; Kuiper, Olinger et al. 1985) 1982; Kuiper, Olinger et al. 1985)

Page 15: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Not Recent PhenomenaNot Recent Phenomena

One monthOne month

Rated mood each day compared to Rated mood each day compared to Own Own typical moodtypical mood

Almost everybodyAlmost everybody

Typically happier than they typically areTypically happier than they typically are(Johnson, 1938)(Johnson, 1938)

Page 16: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

How does this apply to deception?How does this apply to deception?

Page 17: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

20 Years of Research on Lying20 Years of Research on Lying

People rarely get above 60% accuracyPeople rarely get above 60% accuracy

Some groups worse than chanceSome groups worse than chance

(Ekman, 1992)(Ekman, 1992)

Page 18: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Who Can’t TellWho Can’t Tell

Secret ServiceSecret ServiceFederal PolygraphersFederal PolygraphersJudgesJudgesPolicePolicePsychiatristsPsychiatristsStudentsStudents

(Ekman, 1991)(Ekman, 1991)

Page 19: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Who Can’t Tell?Who Can’t Tell?

Customs inspectors vs. college students)Customs inspectors vs. college students)(Kraut & Poe, (Kraut & Poe,

1980)1980)

Federal law enforcement officers vs studentsFederal law enforcement officers vs students(DePaulo & Pfeifer, 1986)(DePaulo & Pfeifer, 1986)

Police officers no better than chancePolice officers no better than chance(Kohnken, 1987)(Kohnken, 1987)

Page 20: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Who Can’t TellWho Can’t Tell

GroupGroup % Above Chance% Above Chance

Secret ServiceSecret Service 29% 29%

PsychiatristsPsychiatrists 12% 12%

(Ekman, 1991)(Ekman, 1991)

Page 21: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

““A man’s gotta know his limitations.”A man’s gotta know his limitations.”

Page 22: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Federal law enforcement officersFederal law enforcement officers

More Confident Than College StudentsMore Confident Than College Students

No More AccurateNo More Accurate

(DePaulo & Pfeifer, 1986)(DePaulo & Pfeifer, 1986)

Page 23: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Confidence and AccuracyConfidence and Accuracy

Generally UnrelatedGenerally Unrelated

(Ekman, 1991)(Ekman, 1991)

Page 24: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

AccuracyAccuracy

What Didn’t Make a DifferenceWhat Didn’t Make a Difference

AgeAgeSexSex

Years of Job ExperienceYears of Job Experience

(Ekman, 1991)(Ekman, 1991)

Page 25: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

AccuracyAccuracy

PolygraphersPolygraphers & Secret Service & Secret Service

Worse as Got OlderWorse as Got Older

(Ekman, 1991)(Ekman, 1991)

Page 26: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

AccuracyAccuracy

Secret ServiceSecret Service

More Years of Job ExperienceMore Years of Job Experience

Worse AccuracyWorse Accuracy

(Ekman, 1991)(Ekman, 1991)

Page 27: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Believing What We HearBelieving What We Hear

Repeating It Increases BeliefRepeating It Increases Belief

(Arkes, Boehm et al.,1991; Arkes, Hacket et al., (Arkes, Boehm et al.,1991; Arkes, Hacket et al., 1989; Begg, Armour et al., 1985; Hasher, 1989; Begg, Armour et al., 1985; Hasher, Goldstein et al., 1977)Goldstein et al., 1977)

Page 28: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Believing What We HearBelieving What We Hear

Even believed statements which were Even believed statements which were openly labeled falseopenly labeled false

(Gerrig and Prentice,1991; Gilbert, Krull et (Gerrig and Prentice,1991; Gilbert, Krull et al.,1990; Wegner, Lane et al., 1994) al.,1990; Wegner, Lane et al., 1994)

Page 29: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Count numbers in statementsCount numbers in statements

Some labeled true; some falseSome labeled true; some false

(Gilbert, Krull et al., 1990)(Gilbert, Krull et al., 1990)

Page 30: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

ResultsResults

Increased “False” labeled “True”Increased “False” labeled “True”

No Change in “True”No Change in “True”

(Gilbert, Krull et al., 1990)(Gilbert, Krull et al., 1990)

Page 31: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Old Debate – New LifeOld Debate – New Life

SpinozaSpinoza

Comprehending is BelievingComprehending is Believing

DescartesDescartes

Comprehend then Believe or NotComprehend then Believe or Not

Page 32: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Stranger ApproachesStranger Approaches

Constant TalkConstant Talk

Too Many DetailsToo Many Details

DetractionDetraction

(De Becker, 1997)(De Becker, 1997)

Page 33: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Types of Positive IllusionsTypes of Positive Illusions

Control Over Random EventsControl Over Random Events

World is Good and MeaningfulWorld is Good and Meaningful

Page 34: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Control over Random EventsControl over Random Events

Prefer Lottery Card They ChosePrefer Lottery Card They Chose

OverOver

One with Better OddsOne with Better Odds

Page 35: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Control over Random EventsControl over Random Events

AthletesAthletes

Sports FansSports Fans

GamblersGamblers

Page 36: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Personal Control & AversivenessPersonal Control & Aversiveness

Ability to Terminate Random ShocksAbility to Terminate Random Shocks

Less DistressLess Distress

Less DiscomfortLess Discomfort

Less Physiological ArousalLess Physiological Arousal

Page 37: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

A Just WorldA Just World

Blaming People for OutcomeBlaming People for Outcome

Even if Randomly AssignedEven if Randomly Assigned

(Lerner, 1978)(Lerner, 1978)

Page 38: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

““The Lord is faithful to those who are faithful The Lord is faithful to those who are faithful to the Lord.”to the Lord.”

(Miller and Tompkins, 1977, p. (Miller and Tompkins, 1977, p. 86)86)

Page 39: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

What is Mental Health?What is Mental Health?

Good Reality Testing?Good Reality Testing?

Page 40: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Definition of Mental HealthDefinition of Mental Health

““Mentally healthy perception means a Mentally healthy perception means a process of viewing the world so that one is process of viewing the world so that one is able to take in matters one wishes were able to take in matters one wishes were different without distorting them to fit those different without distorting them to fit those wishes.” wishes.”

(Jahoda 1958, p. 349) (Jahoda 1958, p. 349)

Page 41: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Effect of Self-EnhancementEffect of Self-Enhancement

Correlated withCorrelated with

Good Relations with OthersGood Relations with OthersPersonal GrowthPersonal GrowthPurpose in LifePurpose in LifeSelf-EsteemSelf-EsteemMasteryMasterySelf-AcceptanceSelf-Acceptance

(Taylor, in (Taylor, in press)press)

Page 42: TX Forensic Mental Health Conf. #2 Fooling Ourselves

Effect of Self-EnhancementEffect of Self-Enhancement

Negatively Correlated withNegatively Correlated with

State AnxietyState AnxietyDepressionDepressionSelf-BlameSelf-BlameNeuroticismNeuroticism

(Taylor, in (Taylor, in press)press)