Asymmetric Introspection and Extrospection Posted by The
Situationist Staff on November 5, 2009 Situationist Contributor
Emily Pronin recently wrote a very helpful primer on her work on
the difference between “How We See Ourselves and How We See
Others,” which she published in Science. Here’s the abstract. *
* * People see themselves differently from how they see others.
They are immersed in their own sensations, emotions, and
cognitions at the same time that their experience of others is
dominated by what can be observed externally. This basic
asymmetry has broad consequences. It leads people to judge
themselves and their own behavior differently from how they
judge others and those others behavior. Often, those differences
produce disagreement and conflict. Understanding the
psychological basis of those differences may help mitigate some
of their negative effects. * * * In case you’re not already
familiar with Pronin’s work, we recommend it highly. You can
download the above article (as well as a many of he