Bracelets of pride and guilt? An experimental test of self-signaling

Joël J. van der Weele and Ferdinand von Siemens

Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2020, vol. 172, issue C, 280-291

Abstract: Self-signaling theory argues that behavior is important to build up or maintain a favorable self-image. We provide a novel test of this argument by manipulating the importance of behavior for future self-image. In two experiments, part of the subject pool is incentivized to wear bracelets as reminders of their initial identity-relevant behavior. We find some evidence that the bracelets increase anticipated memory, which should make behavior more relevant for managing a positive self-image. However, we find no evidence for self-signaling. Instead, our results suggest that participants resolve cognitive dissonance by constructing self-serving rationalizations of their actions that serve as cheap substitutes for self-signaling.

Keywords: Self-signaling; Economic experiments; Cognitive dissonance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C72 C91 D83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:172:y:2020:i:c:p:280-291

DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2020.02.001

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