Chinese elders' self-image and their perceived peer-image: Possibility of self-enhancement bias

Xue Bai, Nelson Chow

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Decades of research with Western participants has documented that there is a pervasive motivation for people to view themselves as better off than others while evidence for the existence of such self-enhancement bias (SEB) among East Asians varies considerably across studies. Considering the traditional culture of Confucius on modesty, the present study hypothesizes that there should be no significant SEB among Chinese elders. Structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 445 older people in China-Wuhan, in which the revised Chinese version of Image of Aging Scale (IAS-C) was filled out. SEB was calculated by subtracting participants' ratings of "Peer-Image" (P) from their ratings of Self-Image (S). However, inconsistent with our hypothesis, a significant SEB was observed among the Chinese older participants and significant differences in the magnitude of SEB were discerned among older people in different characteristic groups. Possible explanations were further provided for the mismatch between Chinese values and the existence of SEB.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-16
Number of pages16
JournalInternational Journal of Aging and Human Development
Volume77
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2013

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine
  • Ageing
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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