Do Psychologically Adjusted Individuals Know What Other People Really Think About Them? The Link Between Psychological Adjustment and Meta-Accuracy

Abstract

Do psychologically adjusted individuals know what other people think about them? Participants rated their own personality and levels of intrapersonal and interpersonal adjustment and also estimated how a new acquaintance and friends perceived them on core personality traits. These individuals rated the participant's personality and friends described participants' adjustment. Intrapersonally and interpersonally adjusted individuals were aware of the positive rather than the distinctive and potentially negative impressions they made, although people who were interpersonally adjusted (e.g., socially skilled) had insight into what made them distinctive in their friends' eyes. Psychologically adjusted individuals also tended to overestimate their transparency, meaning they assumed others saw them as they saw themselves more so than others actually did. Interestingly, effects depended somewhat on who reported on adjustment, such that friend-reported adjustment was linked to accuracy, whereas self-reported adjustment was linked to transparency. Implications for the adaptiveness of accuracy are discussed.

Blissfully Blind or Painfully Aware? Exploring the Beliefs People With Interpersonal Problems Have About Their Reputation

“…However, the Blissfully Blind Hypothesis predicts that people with interpersonal problems have weaker meta‐insight, or are less able to make valid distinctions between self‐views and others’ perceptions. Indeed, the same study showing that interpersonal adjustment was linked to distinctive meta‐accuracy showed that adjusted individuals had higher meta‐insight as well (Carlson, ). Thus, Meg's problems might persist because she fails to realize the ways in which Jon experiences her differently from how she experiences herself.…”

“…Indeed, poor awareness might partially explain why people with interpersonal problems behave in maladaptive ways, but the content of their metaperceptions might also partially explain their maladaptive patterns of behavior. The degree to which people expect to be seen in desirable ways, or the extent to which they feel valued, as well as the degree to which people think others see them as they see themselves, or the extent to which they feel understood, are important components of relationship quality and well‐being (Campbell, Lackenbauer, & Muise, ; Carlson, , ; Murray, Holmes, MacDonald, & Ellsworth, ). People with interpersonal problems might feel less valued or understood, and this negative subjective reality might exacerbate and maintain their problems.…”

“…First, people with problems have an interpersonal style marked by extreme inhibitions and excesses, and as such, they are unique from the typical person and likely make distinctive impressions. For these individuals to know how others see them, they must have a keen understanding of how they differ from the typical person, a form of awareness called distinctive meta‐accuracy (Carlson , ). The Blissfully Blind Hypothesis predicts that people with problems have less distinctive meta‐accuracy and fail to appreciate how others see them as unique from the typical person.…”

“…The Blissfully Blind Hypothesis predicts that people with problems have less distinctive meta‐accuracy and fail to appreciate how others see them as unique from the typical person. There is some evidence that people who are seen by their peers as being more interpersonally adjusted (e.g., socially skilled) have higher distinctive meta‐accuracy than people who are seen as being less adjusted (Carlson, ), suggesting that interpersonal problems might be linked to lower distinctive meta‐accuracy as well.…”

“…This negative subjective reality might lead people with problems to lash out or withdraw, behaviors that might eventually create the negative reality they perceive. There is some evidence that people who report higher psychological adjustment (e.g., higher self‐esteem) tend to expect to be seen in desirable ways (Campbell & Fehr, ; Carlson, ), whereas people who have more psychopathology symptoms (e.g., social anxiety) expect to be seen in negative ways (Christensen, Stein, & Means‐Christensen, ). Thus, people with problems might also expect less positivity from others.…”