Self-deception Beyond Speculation: A Narrative Review of the Empirical Research on Motivated False Beliefs

Abstract

This narrative review explores the concept of self-deception, departing from its theoretical foundations in philosophy and psychology, and focusing on the pioneering empirical methods used to study it. We first outline key philosophical debates surrounding intentionality and paradoxes surrounding the concept of self-deception and then discuss influential psychological theories. The review covers major paradigms for measuring self-deception, such as the retrospective and forward-looking paradigms for situational self-deception and approaches focused on self-deception as a response bias, trait, or disposition. Our primary aim is to present the outcomes of the limited body of empirical research investigating motivational factors in self-deception, rather than theoretical speculations. We examine studies on both internal motivations (e.g., maintaining self-concept) and external motivations (e.g., deceiving others), highlighting how different motivational contexts influence the likelihood and extent of self-deception. Finally, we examine potential limitations, explore future research directions, and consider the broader implications of focusing on this particular aspect of self-deception, the motivational reasoning.

Keywords

• self-deception
• motivation
• motivated false beliefs
• external motivation
• internal motivation