2024/03/04 by Franziska Brotzeller, Mario Gollwitzer · 1 voice · 1 citation
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Behavioral Health and Interventions #Optimism, Hope, and Well-being #Social and Intergroup Psychology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1177/01461672241232738
openalex publication_date 2024/03/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/17
Receiving self-relevant feedback that is discrepant from one’s self-concept can lead to self-concept change. However, it is currently unclear whether positive or negative feedback has a larger effect on self-concept change. Across four studies (total N = 1,438), we demonstrate that intentions for self-concept change (Study 1) as well as actual self-concept change (Studies 2, 3, and 4) are larger (a) for larger discrepancies between self-concept and feedback and (b) for negative compared to positive discrepancies. Exploring these effects further in Study 4, we find no evidence that the opportunity for improvement influences whether self-concept change is positively or negatively biased. In sum, the present research provides consistent evidence for a negativity bias in self-concept change, investigates a theoretical explanation, and discusses alternative explanatory approaches.