Not Exaggeration But Aspiration - The Times Defends Hillary!

Yesterday Mickey Kaus had Hillary on the couch, metaphorically speaking.  And Mickey gets results!  Tucked away in today's Science Times is a fascinating summary of a recent psychological study on lying and exaggerating which leads, as the Times acknowledges in their closing paragraphs, to a defense of Hillary's in and with Bosnia:

Some tales are so tall that they trip over their own improbable feats, narrative cracks and melodrama. That one-on-one playground victory over Kobe Bryant back in the day; the 34 hours in labor without painkillers; the former girlfriend or boyfriend who spoke eight languages and was a secret agent besides.

...in milder doses, self-serving exaggeration can be nearly impossible to detect, experts say, and there are several explanations.

A series of recent studies, focusing on students who inflate their grade-point average, suggests that such exaggeration is very different psychologically from other forms of truth twisting. Touching up scenes or past performances induces none of the anxiety that lying or keeping secrets does, these studies find; and embroiderers often work to live up to the enhanced self-images they project. The findings imply that some kinds of deception are aimed more at the deceiver than at the audience, and they may help in distinguishing braggarts and posers from those who are expressing personal aspirations, however clumsily. 

“It’s important to emphasize that the motives driving academic exaggeration seem to be personal and ‘intrapsychic’ rather than public or interpersonal,” said Richard H. Gramzow, a psychologist at the University of Southampton in England who has led much of the research. “Basically, exaggeration here reflects positive goals for the future, and we have found that those goals tend to be realized.”

As to how Hillary could have so calmly misrepresented her Bosnian fling: 

The researchers videotaped the interviews, and independent observers rated how students looked and behaved. “The ones who exaggerated the most appeared the most calm and confident” on the ratings, Dr. Mendes said. 

The grade inflation was less an attempt to deceive, the authors concluded, than a reflection of healthy overconfidence and a statement of aspirations. “It’s basically an exercise in projecting the self toward one’s goals,” Dr. Gramzow said. 

In earlier studies, Dr. Gramzow and Dr. Willard found that students who bumped up their averages in interviews subsequently improved their grades — often by the very amount they had exaggerated.

Let's contrast that with Ellen Ladowsky, the psychologist to whom Mickey linked, as she describes Hillary's performance: 

It is truly unsettling to watch someone lie so effortlessly and with such seeming sincerity. To recap: Hillary, sporting a big festive shamrock scarf, looked straight at the audience and in a remarkably relaxed way recalled an incident where she had landed in Bosnia under sniper fire. She described a situation so dangerous that the greeting ceremony at the airport had to be canceled and claimed that she'd run to her vehicle with her head down in order to make a quick getaway. She even had an accompanying hand gesture conveying her dramatic dash for dear life. 

There were no obvious tells that Hillary was bluffing. She chuckled a little as she described her narrow escape -- a curious affect given the gravity of the situation, but people do react in different ways to trauma. Overall, it was a pretty smooth performance. If there were any pangs of conscience they were not visible.

Sounds like Hillary could have been one of the test subjects for the grade-inflation study.

Here is Ms. Ladowsky's evaluation of Hillary: 

There are two possibilities: Hillary may be a pathological liar. Or, more persuasive to me, Hillary believed what she was saying and her description of her Bosnia trip was a true representation of her psychic reality and not external reality. In her internal world, Hillary may feel as though she's always being shot at by sniper fire and that she's heroically managed to stay alive. 

This theory makes sense of Hillary's recklessness. It didn't feel reckless to Hillary to repeat this lie over and over again, and she paid no heed to those who contradicted her, because in her mind, she was telling the truth. Only when confronted with undeniable evidence of external reality -- actual footage from her Bosnia trip - did she admit (possibly to herself as well as the public) that her version of events was not true.

That jibes somewhat with the Times article - Hillary thought she was describing a "'future truth", or the Hillary she believed herself to be.  Rather than pathological, it sounds quite normal.  That said, these test subjects are not running for President and have not had their every utterance filmed and scrutinized for the past decade, so one might raise questions about Hillary's judgment.

The Times actually notes the Hillary connection in a very clumsily worded conclusion:

The findings provide another lens through which to view  claims, from Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s story of sniper fire in Bosnia to exaggerations of income, charitable contributions and SAT scores. As much as these are embroideries, they are also expressions of yearning, and for reachable goals.

In that sense, fibs can reflect something close to the opposite of the frustration, insecurity and secretiveness that often fuel big lies. That may be why they can come so easily, add up so fast and for some people — especially around closing time — become indistinguishable from the truth.

I had to read that twice to see whether Hillary had been accused of exaggerating her SAT scores (possible) or her income (what, it's not already high enough to be awkward?)

Comments

[stan]

So Hillary was aspiring to be under sniper fire?

[boris]

self-serving exaggeration can be nearly impossible to detect, experts say

A point that should have applied to Libby.

[bgates]

TM, Hillary would say that guys like you are "in what we call the reality-based community," which she'd define as people who "believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality." ... "That's not the way the world really works anymore, We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality—judiciously, as you will—we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors…and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Or, perhaps it's just a matter of incentives. Such as this, from Dartmouth:

Often it seems as though American higher education exists only to provide gag material for the outside world. The latest spectacle is an Ivy League professor threatening to sue her students because, she claims, their "anti-intellectualism" violated her civil rights.

Priya Venkatesan taught English at Dartmouth College. She maintains that some of her students were so unreceptive of "French narrative theory" that it amounted to a hostile working environment. She is also readying lawsuits against her superiors, who she says papered over the harassment, as well as a confessional exposé, which she promises will "name names."

....Ms. Venkatesan lectured in freshman composition, intended to introduce undergraduates to the rigors of expository argument. "My students were very bully-ish, very aggressive, and very disrespectful," she told Tyler Brace of the Dartmouth Review. "They'd argue with your ideas." This caused "subversiveness," a principle English professors usually favor.

Ms. Venkatesan's scholarly specialty is "science studies," which, as she wrote in a journal article last year, "teaches that scientific knowledge has suspect access to truth." She continues: "Scientific facts do not correspond to a natural reality but conform to a social construct."

The agenda of Ms. Venkatesan's seminar, then, was to "problematize" technology and the life sciences. Students told me that most of the "problems" owed to her impenetrable lectures and various eruptions when students indicated skepticism of literary theory. She counters that such skepticism was "intolerant of ideas" and "questioned my knowledge in very inappropriate ways." Ms. Venkatesan, who is of South Asian descent, also alleges that critics were motivated by racism, though it is unclear why.

After a winter of discontent, the snapping point came while Ms. Venkatesan was lecturing on "ecofeminism," which holds, in part, that scientific advancements benefit the patriarchy but leave women out. One student took issue, and reasonably so – actually, empirically so. But "these weren't thoughtful statements," Ms. Venkatesan protests. "They were irrational." The class thought otherwise. Following what she calls the student's "diatribe," several of his classmates applauded.

Ms. Venkatesan informed her pupils that their behavior was "fascist demagoguery." Then, after consulting a physician about "intellectual distress," she cancelled classes for a week. Thus the pending litigation.

[mike]

No qualifyer here regarding the aspiration regrads obtainability or value.

Is she fibbing about aspirations that can be actualized?

Does aspiring to take actual (or imagined) sniper fire reflect a healthy aspiration or view of the world? I prefer grade fibs.

[clarice]

What a crock!
And this from the same folks who think relying on the world intel consensus of Saddam's WMDs was proof Bush lied.

French narratives and B.S. shrinks --PHEH to them all.

[cathyf]

...the 34 hours in labor without painkillers...

Nah, the first 34 hours were easy. That was the point I was sitting in our favorite restaurant waiting for takeout. (53 hours of labor, but I managed to miss only one meal!)

It was another 6 hours before I decided it was time to go to the hospital. Things got kind of grueling after that, but I was delirious, so I missed most of it. (Poor hubby wasn't so lucky, though...)

[Tom Maguire]

Does aspiring to take actual (or imagined) sniper fire reflect a healthy aspiration or view of the world? I prefer grade fibs.

Well, I presume she aspires to be calm and collected under fire, as do we all.

[Elliott]

Where is everybody?

Fox has called North Carolina for Obama and it looks like I made a mistake using the Clinton camp's turnout model for my predictions.

[Ann]

Hi, Elliott

Obama wins North Carolina. Hillary looks like she is going to win Indiana by double digits (Operation Chaos) Now What?

[Elliott]

Now What?

West Virginia and the Obamassacre.

[centralcal]

This is not good for Obama. Once again he wins only due to the black vote (NC).

I am so glad I am not a Democrat, nor a *super* delegate.

[Jane]

I'd be a super delegate and do really bad things. Maybe I'd sell my vote, to both sides, for cash. Maybe I'd demand a rules change, and that seat Florida and Michigan, then strip them of their power. I'd demand to speak at the convention. It would be really fun.

[Ann]

Hi Cent,

Considering who we are stuck with, I am not so sure we can be glad to be Republicans. :(

[Elliott]

It would be really fun.

Yes, it would, especially if you kept us up to date on all the intrigues.

[centralcal]

Oh, amen, Ann! Somewhere, today or yesterday, I read that we have 3 bad choices in this election. Oh - wait a minute - it came from a really surprising source - Danube of Thought! Our McCain cheerleader here at JOM.

What a bummer of an election year!

[Ann]

MSPMS is starting to put forth the story that "Operation Chaos" is the reason Hillary is winning in IND. Woo Hoo!!!!

[Jane]

Elliott,

I'd live blog it.

[MayBee]

I'd be a super delegate

What would you wear? I mean, obviously by day you'd wear thick glasses and seem meek. But as Super Delegate....?

[Jane]

What would you wear?

Sequins

[Ann]

Red, White, and Blue Capes with alot of pins.

[MayBee]

Sequins

You would be more like a Fabulous Delegate.

[Jane]

Indeed!

[hit and run]

If you're a super delegate, you should have the candidates mud wrestle for your vote.

Oh, wait. ::hhrrhfgggghhhh::

OK, audition candidate surrogates. Hot candidate surrogates.

[Ann]

Hit, We Miss You! XOXOXO

[hit and run]

::smooches:: all around

[centralcal]

Well, alrighty then. It is looking more and more like we will have the pugnacious and uncharming Michelle to take the place of RW in hearts pretty soon.

[Ann]

Cent,

Did you read the Byron York article today on MO. I posted it under the Sister Grim thread. I guess she has made me very cynical because I don't believe the little girl story (unless it was about her daughter).

[Sue]

I don't believe the little girl story

Are you talking about the story where the 10 year old was sobbing in fear? I heard Rush or Hannity talking about it and all I could think was MO probably scared the child to death with her gloom and doom talk.

[Elliott]

Looks like Michelle has come more in saffron than in anger tonight.

[hit and run]

Ann:
I don't believe the little girl story

I figured it was Che Che's daughter and thought the story rang true.

[centralcal]

Ann, I didn't believe the little girl story either. It sounded like projection to me.

Excuse me, the Messiah is speaking to his followers right now.

[Ann]

Sue,

I didn't hear Rush talk about it today, but it could be the same. MO scares me to death, I can't imagine what she did to to a 10 year old.

Elliott, She looks better than normal (She is even smiling)

[Jane]

the Messiah is speaking to his followers right now.

Let me know when it's over.

[Ann]

That should be considered child abuse in my book, Hit.

Of course, Obama speaking now about this great country should be considered voter abuse. There seems to be no prevention for either.

[Sue]

Hillary's lead in IN has shrunk to 4%.

[hit and run]

Ann:
Elliott, She looks better than normal (She is even smiling)

Just wait until she realizes that "they" are going to "raise the bar" and actually force her and that man she's married to actually run in the general election against McCain.

She's gonna be pissed.

[Ann]

What happened to the lady with cojones? Will she cry tonight?

CBS called this so early for her that I would love to see them embarrassed, AGAIN!

[Ann]

"She's gonna be pissed."

I think she is way past that point, Hit. However, I am to polite to come up with a better word or phrase for that bulldog. :) :) :)

[hit and run]

Ann:
CBS called this so early for her that I would love to see them embarrassed, AGAIN!

Well, keep up with Garrity at the Campaign Spot and this post. The contention being that the media is sick and tired of Dems beating up Dems and are ready to start going Dem on Repub...maybe CBS is being a little over eager in this vein...

[VIMH: "Garrity"?]
Subtle jab. Geraghty had posted "Tom McGuire" earlier this week and had to be corrected. But I don't fault him...I mean, it's not like everybody can keep up with the intricacies of Irish surnames...

[Porchlight]

Did you correct Geraghty on "McGuire," Hit? I noticed the error and the subsequent correction and wondered whose email he was responding to when he fixed it.

[hit and run]

Yeah, I couldn't pass up the dig with the Irish name joke.

[Ann]

Another pleased black woman:

Brazile vs. Begala

Oh no, she Di-int!!

[Porchlight]

Thanks for making the effort. I was going to send him something but I figured someone else would be quicker, and wittier, on the draw. Sounds like that was the case. :)

[kepa poalima]

"Brazile vs. Begala", sounds like a south american soccer match and considering the combatants, staying true to character, you'd expect tripping, kicking, holding, pulling shorts down, elbows to face, flops, acting and whining, leading to brawls and riots in the stands among the fans. wait, am i confusing that with the democrat nomination process?

[kepa poalima]

"Brazile vs. Begala", sounds like a south american soccer match and considering the combatants, staying true to character, you'd expect tripping, kicking, holding, pulling shorts down, elbows to face, flops, acting and whining, leading to brawls and riots in the stands among the fans. wait, am i confusing that with the democrat nomination process?

[kepa poalima]

sorry for duplicate

[kim]

That's OK. I laughed hard both times.
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