Why We Avoid Knowing Ourselves: The Curious Case of Self-Feedback

People often want to see themselves in a good light. This desire can lead to some interesting choices when they get feedback about themselves. For example, they might hear how others see them. This feedback can be helpful, but it can also make them feel bad. So, they might choose to ignore it. This is called willful ignorance. It's when someone knows something might help them, but they avoid it anyway. Why do people do this? It's all about protecting their self-image. If feedback threatens how they see themselves, they might just avoid it. This can keep them from learning more about themselves. It's like choosing to stay in the dark rather than facing a harsh light. There are many reasons why someone might avoid self-feedback. It could be because they don't want to feel bad. Or maybe they don't think the feedback is useful. Sometimes, the situation matters too. If someone is already feeling down, they might be more likely to ignore feedback. But is this a good idea? Avoiding feedback can keep someone from growing. It's like refusing to look at a map because you don't like the route. You might miss a better path. Researchers are still studying this. They want to know more about why people avoid feedback. They also want to find better ways to study this behavior. Maybe they can figure out how to help people face feedback without feeling threatened. In the end, avoiding feedback might feel safe. But it can also keep someone from knowing themselves better. It's a tricky balance between protecting your feelings and learning more about who you are.