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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 7 page paper provides a critique of an empirical study. This paper relates the major elements in a study by Savitsky, Epley and Gilovich, outlined in their article Do Others Judge Us as Harshly as We Think? Overestimating the Impact of Our Failures, Shortcomings, and Mishaps. No additional sources cited.
Page Count:
7 pages (~225 words per page)
File: MH11_MHCritR3.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
researchers test their hypothesis that individuals overestimate how their actions are judged by others, producing exaggerated fears and unnecessary social anxiety. Two of these studies in particular, Study
3 and Study 4, provide interesting ways of assessing the overestimations of the impact of behaviors, and critiques of these two studies provide some insight into the perspectives of the
researchers. The researchers begin by introducing their overall topic and outlining some of the existing research regarding social phobias, social anxiety and behavioral "failures, shortcomings and mishaps." From a
societal perspective, the researchers argue that most individuals fear "sticking out like a sore thumb," and as a result, assess their own behaviors in comparison to others (Savitsky, Epley and
Gilovich, 2001). Though the fact that these fears exist is not an arguable point in the scope of the study, the researchers do state that the level at which
individuals believe their behaviors are being judged against others is exaggerated and lends itself to the manifestation of these fears. Specifically, the researchers state that individuals often believe that
the public "spotlight" is focused on themselves at all times, and that mishaps or personal blunders further exacerbate the level of attention that is directed towards that individual, The
premise of the studies presented, then, is to determine whether the fears that are created as a result of this belief in focus are justified. Do individuals overestimate the
level of attention that is being paid to their personal blunders? This question is the focus of the four studies conducted by Savitsky, Epley and Gilovich (2001) .
The researchers introduce Study 3, a two-fold study, by stating that they expect to "assess one of the mechanisms potentially responsible for actors exaggerated judgments: the focusing illusion"
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