Behavioral and Brain Sciences
- Behavioral and Brain Sciences / Volume 34 / Issue 01 / February 2011, pp 27-28
- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X1000258X (About DOI), Published online: 03 February 2011
Open Peer Commentary
The selfish goal: Self-deception occurs naturally from autonomous goal operation
Julie Y. Huanga1 and John A. Bargha1
a1 Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520. julie.huang@yale.edu, john.bargh@yale.edu www.yale.edu/acmelab
Abstract
Self-deception may be a natural consequence of active goal operation instead of an adaptation for negotiating the social world. We argue that because autonomous goal programs likely drove human judgment and behavior prior to evolution of a central executive or “self,” these goal programs can operate independently to attain their desired end states and thereby produce outcomes that “deceive” the individual.
(Online publication February 03 2011)
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