Theory and research converge to suggest that authenticity predicts positive psychological adjustment. Given these benefits of authenticity, there is a surprising dearth of research on the factors that foster authenticity. Five studies help fill this gap by testing whether self-compassion promotes subjective authenticity. Study 1 found a positive association between trait self-compassion and authenticity. Study 2 demonstrated that on days when people felt more self-compassionate, they also felt more authentic. Study 3 discovered that people experimentally induced to be self-compassionate reported greater state authenticity relative to control participants. Studies 4 and 5 recruited samples from multiple cultures and used a cross-sectional and a longitudinal design, respectively, and found that self-compassion predicts greater authenticity through reduced fear of negative evaluation (Study 4) and heightened optimism (Study 5). Across studies, self-compassion’s effects on authenticity could not be accounted for by self-esteem. Overall, the results suggest that self-compassion can help cultivate subjective authenticity.

Self-compassion offers many personal benefits. However, whether and how the benefits of self-compassion may transmit to others remains unclear. Across three studies, we demonstrated that one way in which the benefits of being self-compassionate can spread from the self to others is by increasing acceptance of one’s own imperfections, which may, in turn, enhance acceptance of others’ imperfections. Specifically, Studies 1 and 2 found that self-compassionate people reported more acceptance of their own flaw, which, in turn, predicted greater acceptance of their romantic partner’s and acquaintance’s flaws. Study 3 used a dyadic design with romantic couples and found that self-compassion promoted felt acceptance of one’s own flaw by both members in the relationship. This occurred by virtue of acceptance of one’s own flaw, which, in turn, promoted greater acceptance of each other’s flaws. We discuss the implications of these results for future research on self-compassion.

Demographic attributes (e.g., age, disability, race) frequently affect people's decisions. We provide a novel perspective as to why such discrimination persists: Meritocratic principles lead people to perceive some demographic attributes as fair to use, rather than as discriminatory. Specifically, we theorize that meritocracy requires that controllable and relevant inputs determine outcomes; as a result, perceived controllability and relevance affect the degree to which demographic attributes are perceived as fair to use. Moreover, we suggest perceived relevance outweighs controllability, such that even uncontrollable attributes can be perceived as fair criteria if perceived to be outcome relevant. In two qualitative studies, we probed how people think about demographic attributes used in selection (Studies 1a-b). We find that people refer to controllability and relevance dimensions to justify their perceptions. Further, people largely associate uncontrollable, irrelevant attributes with discrimination (race, sex), neglecting attributes they perceive as controllable and/or relevant (disability, caregiving status). Next, three surveys (Studies 2a-c) support our theorizing that perceived relevance impacts fairness perceptions more strongly than perceived controllability. In three experiments (Studies 3a-c), we provide causal evidence that relevance and controllability shape perceived fairness, which in turn affects selection behaviors, including seeking information regarding demographic attributes during hiring. Finally, Study 4 demonstrates downstream consequences: Perceived controllability, relevance, and use of demographic attributes together impact employees' psychological safety and job satisfaction. Overall, we find that principles of merit lead people to believe that even some legally protected demographic attributes are fair to use, allowing discrimination to persist.