Self-deception Beyond Speculation: A Narrative Review of the Empirical Research on Motivated False Beliefs

This narrative review explores the concept of self-deception,
departing from its theoretical foundations in philosophy and psychology, and
focusing on the pioneering empirical methods used to study it. We first outline
key philosophical debates surrounding intentionality and paradoxes surrounding
the concept of self-deception and then discuss influential psychological theories.
The review covers major paradigms for measuring self-deception, such as the
retrospective and forward-looking paradigms for situational self-deception and
approaches focused on self-deception as a response bias, trait, or disposition.
Our primary aim is to present the outcomes of the limited body of empirical
research investigating motivational factors in self-deception, rather than
theoretical speculations. We examine studies on both internal motivations (e.g.,
maintaining self-concept) and external motivations (e.g., deceiving others),
highlighting how different motivational contexts influence the likelihood and
extent of self-deception. Finally, we examine potential limitations,