Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • September 2019
  • Article
  • Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes

The Self-Presentational Consequences of Upholding One's Stance in Spite of the Evidence

By: Leslie John, Martha Jeong, Francesca Gino and Laura Huang
  • Format:Print
ShareBar

Abstract

Five studies explore the self-presentational consequences of refusing to “back down” – that is, upholding a stance despite evidence of its inaccuracy. Using data from an entrepreneurial pitch competition, Study 1 shows that entrepreneurs tend not to back down even though investors are more impressed by entrepreneurs who do. Next, in two sets of experiments, we unpack the psychology underlying why actors refuse to publicly back down and investigate observers’ impressions of those actors. Specifically, we show that observers view people who refuse to back down as confident but unintelligent, and these perceptions drive consequential decisions about such refusers, such as whether to invest in their ideas (Studies 1 & 2) or whether to hire them (Study 3). Although actors can intuit these effects (Study 4), this understanding is not reflected in their behavior because they are concerned with saving face (Study 5).

Keywords

Self-presentation; Belief Perseverance; Judgment; Confidence; Persuasion; Personal Characteristics; Behavior; Perception; Decision Making; Outcome Or Result

Citation

John, Leslie, Martha Jeong, Francesca Gino, and Laura Huang. "The Self-Presentational Consequences of Upholding One's Stance in Spite of the Evidence." Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 154 (September 2019): 1–14.
  • Find it at Harvard
  • Read Now

About The Authors

Leslie K. John

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

Francesca Gino

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

Laura Huang

Organizational Behavior
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • February 2021
    • Faculty Research

    Doist: Building the Future of Asynchronous Work

    By: Prithwiraj Choudhury, Francesca Gino and Jeffrey Huizinga
    • February 2021
    • Faculty Research

    Emma Dench: Leadership and Ancient Rome

    By: Francesca Gino and Frances X. Frei
    • February 2021
    • Faculty Research

    Emma Dench: Leadership and Ancient Rome

    By: Francesca Gino, Youngme Moon, Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss
More from the Authors
  • Doist: Building the Future of Asynchronous Work By: Prithwiraj Choudhury, Francesca Gino and Jeffrey Huizinga
  • Emma Dench: Leadership and Ancient Rome By: Francesca Gino and Frances X. Frei
  • Emma Dench: Leadership and Ancient Rome By: Francesca Gino, Youngme Moon, Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College