The anticipation of devaluation [electronic resource] : concerns about being judged shape reactions to experts who appear flawed or flawless
Keywords: Psychology.

It is widely assumed that experts who practice what they preach, by exemplifying the high standards they advocate for others in their own lives, are superior to those who fall short of these standards. The current research provides a new perspective by demonstrating that anticipated devaluation, a person's concern that an expert may judge them unfavorably, shapes how people react to experts who appear flawed or flawless. When an expert advertises that he or she meets high standards in his or her own life, individuals who fear negative devaluation sometimes anticipate that this superior expert will look down on them. As a result, displaying exemplary behavior can inadvertently drive away the very people whom experts may most hope to inspire. Conversely, experts who have some imperfections exposed seem less judgmental and increase their appeal to people who are concerned about negative devaluation. Eight studies document this in the medical domain, testing the consequences of doctors advertising their high healthy standards, and doctors having some unhealthy habits revealed. The first two studies establish the importance of this phenomenon, documenting common beliefs about physician health habits and how physicians discuss their health habits in a real-world setting. Study 1 finds that people expect that doctors do practice what they preach, erroneously believing that doctors have healthier habits than other individuals. Study 2 examines doctors' self-descriptions and shows, using the real-world context of Kaiser Permanente's online doctor search portal, that doctors advertise their healthy habits to patients in their self-portrayals. Then, I explore how apparently flawless experts seem superior and threaten devaluation to people who worry about being judged. Four studies demonstrate that individuals who are overweight or obese and concerned about their weight avoid physicians who advertise their fitness, for fear that these doctors will judge them negatively. Study 3 demonstrates that people assume that fit doctors will look down on people who do meet their same standards. This leads overweight individuals to anticipate devaluation from, and thus avoid and feel less comfortable with, doctors who advertise their fitness. Studies 4 and 5 replicate and extend these findings and test strategies for physicians to emphasize their own fitness and without turning off weight-sensitive patients. Study 4 demonstrates that the findings are specific to individuals who are concerned about devaluation; fitness-focused doctors do not drive away non-overweight individuals. Study 5 demonstrates that doctors who are explicitly nonjudgmental toward people who may have different priorities for health seem less judgmental and increase their appeal to overweight patients. Study 6 replicates the findings of Study 5 and further demonstrates that overweight individuals generally believe that doctors have unrealistic expectations for their patients. Then, I explore the positive impacts of experts having flaws exposed. Two studies demonstrate that doctors who have some unhealthy habits revealed are more appealing to overweight individuals. In Study 7, participants read a health assessment of a primary care physician and learned that the physician was either a smoker, overweight, or in good general health. Overweight participants felt more comfortable discussing their personal health with physicians who appeared flawed. Study 8 replicated and extended these findings in a new context. Participants evaluated a physician based on an ostensible picture of their home office. These pictures either indicated that the doctor ate fast food, smoked, or neither. Overweight participants thought that the doctor who ate fast food would be less judgmental than the other physicians, and accordingly felt more comfortable discussing their personal health with this doctor. By putting concerns about devaluation in the forefront, the current research provides a more nuanced understanding of the consequences of practicing what you preach. When attempting to lead by example, it is critical to take self-related concerns into account. Experts who embody high standards in their own lives can take care to be compassionate towards those who fall short of these standards. And if an expert has shortcomings, they can use them thoughtfully to connect with those who are struggling themselves.