The accuracy of self-evaluations: its measurement and some of its personological correlates.

Abstract

One of the standard ways of studying personality is through the self-concept, or at least that aspect of it which the subject is willing to reveal in self-evaluations. Recently, the self-rated questionnaire has fallen into disrepute in some circles; it has been argued that most people are so self-deceptive, or so defensive about admitting many of the truths they know about themselves, that self-evaluation can be used only indirectly and cannot be taken at face value.