Overview
- Patrick Carroll of The Ohio State University reports that inducing meta-cognitive doubt increased reported commitment among people wavering on important identity goals.
- Results were replicated across two experiments published in Self and Identity: an online sample (N=267) using a writing exercise and a college sample (N=130) using non-dominant-hand writing.
- The effect emerged specifically for participants experiencing an action crisis, where uncertainty about continuing a long-term goal typically lowers commitment.
- Findings align with Self-Validation Theory, as lowering confidence in one’s goal doubts reduced those doubts’ power to suppress commitment, with mediation evidence in the second study.
- The authors note limits from short-term, self-report outcomes and narrow samples, and they recommend guided application due to risks of overconfidence and potential manipulation.