feedback

4

Self-Justification

Author’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Course Name and Number

Instructor

Due Date

Self-Justification

Self-Justification and Science

Self-justification negatively affects science by preventing its growth in preference for sticking with long-standing personal beliefs or general public consensus. In Chapter 4 of their book, Tavris and Aronson (2008) discuss how seasoned therapists refused to acknowledge points of view that were different from their own for fear of being wrong and having to admit the drastic consequences of their professional actions. Tavris and Aronson (2008) note that scientific disciplines are self-correcting and self-improving. This means that aspects that may be deemed accurate today may be deemed inaccurate tomorrow through scientific research. However, professionals tend to show resistance toward such a shift if the change will render their previous work to be invalid. I can apply these ideas to how I will conduct science in my dissertation. Specifically, I can consider different perspectives from my own without bias to ensure that the path I take is the right one. This means that I have to be open-minded to the possibility of new truths based on new data and scientific research. Overall, these ideas of self-justification generalize when the consequences of accepting the actual truth are severe. For instance, a therapist whose professional opinion sends a person to prison wrongly is likely to self-justify in order to recuse him/herself from responsibility.

Self-Justification and the Law

Self-justification affects the law by preventing the practice of true justice. In Chapter 5 of their book, Tavris and Aronson (2008) discuss several examples of wrongful convictions made throughout the years. In these examples, even after new evidence emerged that exonerated the wrongfully accused individuals, the prosecutors and investigating police officers were still adamant that the persons of interest were guilty. Tavris and Aronson (2008) reveal that this self-justification is often done to protect jobs, reputations, or colleagues. In extreme circumstances, innocent people are kept in prison under the premise that they might have carried out some other unknown crime. This self-justification prevents the justice system from being effective. These ideas can be generalized to other areas. Often, people in different disciplines often do not want to admit their mistakes when new evidence that disputes their professional actions arises. For example, a therapist whose statement condemns a person for rape may try to shift blame to other parties if new evidence becomes known to exonerate the individual. This is especially true if the consequences of his/her actions are extreme, for instance, if the wrongfully accused person serves a long prison sentence before the charges are dropped.

Self-Justification and Relationships

Self-justification may either affect relationships positively or negatively. When one gets into a relationship, the union forces him/her to not only learn more about his/her partner but also about him/herself. What one learns may not necessarily be pleasing. However, since the individual is already invested in the relationship, he/she will attempt to justify the reasons why the union is important and outline reasons why he/she is happy. This information can either help people to make better or worse relationships. Tavris and Aronson (2008) assert that self-justification can either push a couple toward the direction of hostility and greater dissonance or toward the direction of affection and greater closeness. The ones whose relationships work are the ones who acknowledge their differences and perspectives with the objective of bridging the gap by understanding their partners. However, other relationships fail because the partners focus on the other parties’ shortcomings while justifying their own behaviors regardless of whether they are right or wrong.

Reference

Tavris, C., & Aronson, E. (2008).  Mistakes were made (but not by me): Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.