Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to assess the effect of pretending on the pretenders' self-esteem. People use social pretenses to avoid criticism and receive praise to maintain and augment this self-esteem. Nevertheless, there is a hidden opportunity cost of pretending. Participants were led (or not) to pretend that they possessed knowledge they did not have (i.e., made-up words), and did or did not receive praise for being knowledgeable. Pretending blunts the effects of praise. Praise raised control participants' self-esteem more than it did that of pretenders.
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Hussain, M.S., Langer, E. A Cost of Pretending. Journal of Adult Development 10, 261–270 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026063611951
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026063611951