We judge our own true selves, our authentic and fundamental nature, to be better than that of others

My True Self is Better Than Yours: Comparative Bias in True Self Judgments. Yiyue Zhang, Mark Alicke. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, May 26, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167220919213

Abstract: Researchers have assumed that people judge their own true selves, or their authentic and fundamental nature, to be no better than that of others. This assumption conflicts with self-enhancement perspectives, and with studies on comparative biases in self and social judgment, which assume that people tend to view their characteristics and life prospects more favorably than those of others. The five studies in this article demonstrate that comparative bias operates in self versus other true self comparisons, both with regard to traits (Studies 1–3), and morally relevant behaviors (Studies 4 and 5). Implications for the true and authentic self constructs are discussed.

Keywords: self/identity, self-concept, social comparison, judgment and decision making

Research relying on measures of feelings toward the opposing “Party” vastly overstates levels of partisan animosity in the American public; we need to distinguish between attitudes toward party elites & ordinary partisans

Who Do You Loathe? Feelings toward Politicians vs. Ordinary People in the Opposing Party
Jon Kingzette. Journal of Experimental Political Science, May 26 2020. https://doi.org/10.1017/XPS.2020.9Published

Abstract: Scholars, the media, and ordinary people alike express alarm at the apparent loathing between Democrats and Republicans in the mass public. However, the evidence of such loathing typically comes from survey items that measure attitudes toward the Democratic and Republican Parties, rather than attitudes toward ordinary partisans. Using a nationally representative survey, I find that Democrats and Republicans have substantially more positive feelings toward ordinary people belonging to the opposing party than they do toward politicians in the opposing party and the opposing party itself. These results indicate that research relying on measures of feelings toward the opposing “Party” vastly overstates levels of partisan animosity in the American public and demonstrate the need to distinguish between attitudes toward party elites and ordinary partisans in future research.

The difference between dealmakers & dealbreakers was larger among women (error management theory) & sex differences in responses were dependent on individual differences in psychopathy, sociosexuality, & disgust

Should I stay or should I go: Individual differences in response to romantic dealmakers and dealbreakers. Peter K. Jonason, Kaitlyn P. White, Laith Al-Shawaf. Personality and Individual Differences, Volume 164, 1 October 2020, 110120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110120

Highlights
• Researched change in romantic interest when learning dealmakers and dealbreakers
• Greater sex difference in dealbreakers than dealmakers
• Dealbreakers caused more change than dealmakers in women, equivalent change in men.
• Sociosexuality and psychopathy associated with less change to dealbreakers
• Mating success and extraversion associated with more change to dealmakers

Abstract: People glean key information about their potential mates during the early phases of courtship. Here (N = 261) we investigated how much learning “dealmaker” (i.e., positive) and “dealbreaker” (i.e., negative) information changed men and women's interest in potential romantic partners. We derived hypotheses from prospect theory and error management theory about loss aversion and how personality traits may enable people's sexual agendas. We found that dealbreakers and dealmakers both influenced participants' level of interest, but this effect was larger for dealbreakers (i.e., prospect theory). We found that the difference between dealmakers and dealbreakers was larger among women (i.e., error management theory) and that sex differences in responses to dealbreakers and dealmakers were fully mediated by individual differences in psychopathy, sociosexuality, and disgust. Our discussion focuses on the utility of an evolutionary framework in studying the early stages of relationship formation.

Keywords: Mate choicePersonalitySex differencesError management theoryLoss aversion

Vegetarians were 3 to 6 times more likely to have vegetarian friends than omnivores were, & 12 times more likely to have romantic partners who were vegetarians than omnivores were

Nezlek, John B., Marzena Cypryanska, and catherine forestell. 2020. “Dietary Similarity of Friends and Lovers: Vegetarianism, Omnivorism, and Personal Relationships.” OSF Preprints. May 25. doi:10.31219/osf.io/vs3z5

Abstract: In a series of studies conducted in the USA and Poland, we found that vegetarianism can serve as a basis for the formation of personal relationships. Consistent with research on the similarity-attraction effect, we found that vegetarians were more likely than omnivores to have friends and lovers who were vegetarians. In study 1, vegetarians reported that their diets were a more important part of their identities than omnivores did. In studies 2, 3, and 4, we found that vegetarians were three to six times more likely to have vegetarian friends than omnivores were. In study 4 we found that vegetarians were twelve times more likely to have romantic partners who were vegetarians than omnivores were. These results suggest that following a vegetarian or an omnivorous diet is an important influence on an individual’s choice of relational partners, possibly because dietary choice is part of an individual’s social identity.