[Determinants of task preferences when performance is indicative of individual characteristics: self-assessment motivation and self-verification motivation].
The present study was conducted to examine determinants of information-gathering behavior with regard to one's own characteristics. Four tasks with different self-congruent and incongruent diagnosticity were presented to subjects. As self-assessment theory predicted, high diagnostic tasks were preferred to low tasks. And as self-verification theory predicted, self-congruent diagnosticity had a stronger effect on task preference than self-incongruent diagnosticity. In addition, subjects who perceived the relevant characteristics important inclined to choose self-assessment behavior more than who did not. Also, subjects who were certain of their self-concept inclined to choose self-verification behavior more than who were not. These results suggest that both self-assessment and self-verification motivations play important roles in information-gathering behavior regarding one's characteristics, and strength of the motivations is determined by the importance of relevant characteristics or the certainty of self-concept.
Numazaki
M
M
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Teikyo University, Hachioji.
Kudo
E
E
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis