Self-Justification: Its Effects on Science, Law, and Relationships

This essay examines the concept of self-justification and its pervasive influence across various domains, including science, law, and relationships, drawing upon the work of Tavris and Aronson. In science, self-justification can skew the interpretation of data and ethical conduct. In law, it can lead to biased judicial decisions, affecting the fairness of convictions. Within relationships, self-justification can either preserve harmony or exacerbate conflict, depending on the individuals' insight and self-acceptance. The essay highlights how understanding self-justification is crucial for ethical decision-making and fostering healthier relationships. Desklib offers a wealth of academic resources, including solved assignments and past papers, to support students in their studies.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

1PSYCHOLOGY
a) The impact of self-justification on science is that it influence the way health issues are
diagnosed or interpreted by health care staffs. The approach taken to identify health
problems in people also differ based on self-justification. Most of the health professionals
are involved in self-correction and self-improving behaviour because of their self-
justification on health related actions. One example of the use of self-justification in
science is that people engage in intentional ethical violation, yet they assume it to be
ethical because of their feeling that the action is moral (Vasquez, Oswald & Hammer,
2019). In the field of psychology, the self-justification concept has been utilized to find
out why people engage in cheating, fraud and detection. Proper understanding of the self-
justification concept help psychologist to identify how individuals behave facing the
temptation to behave unethically (Shalvi et al., 2015).
This information would help me to identify my goals in relation to dissertation and identify
why research on a particular area is necessary. Self-justification on the research topic would help
to plan the content and effective structure my dissertation or master’s thesis.
b) Self-justification affects the law as it helps to take different decisions related to conviction and
imprisonment for a person based on personal view and rationale for the decision. For example, it
often forces a person in legal authority to take wrong decisions because of losing their job or
reputation. The first impulse for such person is to deny their mistake. There is also a contrasting
example where a person frees someone who is innocent based on the moral reasoning and self-
justification of being a moral and competent person, who will never take wrong decisions (Tavris
& Aronson, 2008). On the whole, this example proves the point that self-justification influences
judicial decisions and justified the reason behind any judicial decisions. Self-justification often

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creates tragedy for the convicted person. The innocent person is kept in prison and guilty person
enjoys freedom.
c) Self-justification is a form of cognitive dissonance where there person’s behaviour is
inconsistent with their belied leading to justification of the behaviour to other (Festinger &
Carlsmith, 1959). Hence, it can be said that self-justification is something that distorts reality and
when more number of self-justification occurs in a relationship, it is an indication that
relationship is not working. As mentioned in the chapter 6 of the book by Tavris and Aronson
(2008), the self-justification related to immaterial things does not create any issues, however
when dissonant information exist in relationship, people go through period of conflict and
emotional turmoil. Couples in a bad marriage often self-justify that all marriages are like this and
going through difficult marriage is better than being alone. Hence, in this context, it can be said
that self-justification helps to maintain many relationship and marriage too. Therefore, self-
justification can lead to two different outcomes- one is a good soulful relationship and other is a
relationship with discord. However, the outcome is dependent on the way a person visualizes or
interprets the overall situation. Insight and self-acceptance can prosper relationships and regret
and turmoil can worsen relationship.

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References:
Festinger, L., & Carlsmith, J. M. (1959). Cognitive consequences of forced compliance. The
journal of abnormal and social psychology, 58(2), 203.
Shalvi, S., Gino, F., Barkan, R., & Ayal, S. (2015). Self-serving justifications: Doing wrong and
feeling moral. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(2), 125-130.
Tavris, C., & Aronson, E. (2008). Mistakes were made (but not by me): Why we justify foolish
beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Vasquez, K., Oswald, D. L., & Hammer, A. (2019). Being dishonest about our prejudices: moral
dissonance and self-justification. Ethics & Behavior, 1-23.