Most people have Is there any reason to believe that self-evaluation shapes impor-mostly favorable beliefs about themselves (see Crocker & Ma- tant life decisions? Consider the decisions of (a) choosing a city orjor, 1989 Greenberg & Pyszczynski, 1985 Miller & Ross, state in which to live and (b) choosing a career. Like people’s social beliefs and people choose to live and what people choose to do for a living.behavior, people’s beliefs about themselves are also influencedby the desire to view the self favorably. Murray,ski, Greenberg, & Solomon, 1997, 1999), whether people sabotage Holmes, & Griffin, 1996 Swann, Hixon, & de la Ronde, 1992).the performance of others when playing a game (Tesser & Smith, We thus know relatively little about whether self-evaluations or1981), what people find rational (Kunda, 1990), and what people self-concept motives influence important decisions such as wherefind humorous (Wills, 1981). For example, the desire to maintain positive feelings tical reasons, most of these studies have examined attraction toabout the self appears to influence things as diverse as whether strangers in the laboratory rather than attraction to long-termpeople derogate those who criticize their governments (Pyszczyn- relationship partners (Huston & Levinger, 1978 but cf. For example, only a handfulplay in their important day-to-day decisions and behaviors? Con- of studies have examined whether self-regulation processes influ-temporary research on the self-concept suggests many answers to ence people’s choice of relationship partners.
What role do people’s thoughts and feelings about themselves important role in major life decisions. This idea stands in sharp contrast tomany models of rational choice and attests to the importance of understanding implicit beliefs. Implicit egotism appears to influence major life decisions. Studies 7–10 suggested that people disproportionately choose careerswhose labels resemble their names (e.g., people named Dennis or Denise are overrepresented amongdentists). People were disproportionately likely to live in cities whose names began with their birthdaynumbers (e.g., Two Harbors, MN). Study 6 extended this finding to birthday numberpreferences. Studies 1–5 showed that people are disproportionatelylikely to live in places whose names resemble their own first or last names (e.g., people named Louis aredisproportionately likely to live in St. Ten studies assessed the role of implicit egotism in 2 major life decisions: where people chooseto live and what people choose to do for a living. The authors refer to such preferences as implicitegotism.
Jones State University of New York at BuffaloBecause most people possess positive associations about themselves, most people prefer things that areconnected to the self (e.g., the letters in one’s name).
ATTITUDES AND SOCIAL COGNITION Why Susie Sells Seashells by the Seashore: Implicit Egotism and Major Life Decisions Brett W.
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