Enhancing others through information selection: Establishing the phenomenon and its preconditions.

Abstract

Past research has uncovered that people prefer to deliver positive news and flattering feedback to others. However, less is known about the generalizability and motives underlying the general selection of information to enhance others' self-views. Over a series of seven experiments (six preregistered), participants (total N = 3,117) informed others that a test the others had taken was either valid or invalid. Participants were more likely to choose information that the test was valid when the others performed well but invalid when the test takers performed poorly, thus selecting information that would enhance others' positive self-views. However, this selection pattern was present only for likable and neutral others, dissipating when the others were described as having reproachable traits (Experiments 1-3, 5a and 5b) and when participants had the goal of providing accurate information (Experiment 6). This selection bias, which was driven by an interest in pleasing others, was present across different tests (Experiments 3, 5a, and 5b), showed when the others did and did not have self-enhancing views, and when objective information about the test validity was provided (Experiments 4, 5a, and 5b). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).