The impact of feedback on self-deception: Evidence from ERP

Abstract

Self-deception is a motivation to see the world in a way that benefits oneself. Previously, researchers have explored self-deception from a single research perspective. The focus on singular variables have made it impossible to understand an individual’s processing of self-deception from a holistic perspective. Researchers of self-deception not only need to seek stable research results but also need to continuously adopt a more comprehensive research perspective to explore self-deception. This study mainly explored the influence of feedback types and feedback valence on self-deception. Experiment 1 used the forward-looking paradigm to explore the influence of fuzzy feedback with differing valences on self-deception. The scores (measures of self-deception) in the first stage of test 2 in the answer prompt group and the no-answer prompt group were significantly different. The prediction scores in the second stage of test 2 were also significantly different, and compared with the participants in the no-answer prompt group, the participants in the answer prompt group increased their prediction scores in the second stage of test 2 under conditions involving positive fuzzy feedback. Experiment 2 explored the impact of precise feedback with differing valences on self-deception. The scores for the two groups of participants in the first stage of test 2 were significantly different. Compared with the no-answer prompt group, the answer prompt group received accurate feedback; however, these conditions did not produce higher prediction scores in the second stage of test 2. Experiment 3 used ERP technology to explore the internal mechanisms related to different types of feedback and the feedback valence that had differential effects on self-deception. The participants engaged in more self-deception in conditions with fuzzy feedback; self-deception in conditions with fuzzy feedback induced a larger P2 component and induced smaller N1 and N400 components. Finally, it was found that the frontal area had the greatest effects on self-deception. In short, the results of this research showed that positive feedback promoted the generation of individuals᾽ self-deception, while negative feedback weakened the generation of individuals᾽ self-deception; positive fuzzy feedback further promoted the generation of individuals᾽ self-deception. The results of this research also indicated that the mechanism underlying self-deception may be self-inflation. l.