Developmental Expectations of Personal Change for the Self and Others

Abstract

This study extended what is known about self-other differences in expectations of personal change by further examining in-group favoritism and self-enhancing biases. Using a between-subject design, 100 adults (age range = 16-76 years) were asked to evaluate either themselves or an unknown other person of the same sex at one of 3 specified ages (20, 45, or 70 years) using a modified Aging Semantic Differential Scale (Rosencranz & McNevin, 1969). Although no evidence of in-group favoritism was observed, the results did reveal a self-enhancing bias for both Canadian and U.S. respondents: Evaluations of the self became more positive with increasing target age, and evaluations of others declined with increasing age. Finally, the between-subject design yielded results similar to those found with within-subjects designs. Unknown older targets were rated neutrally, suggesting a positive bias associated with younger targets rather than a negative bias toward older targets.

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