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Category: Project

Description: Unrealistic optimism bias appears in a comparison in which a person perceives oneself - in contrast to peers - as less threatened by threads. The presence of this bias was largely reported and consequences are clear: it brings danger to one’s health. Existing body literature proposes egocentrism as a mechanism leading to the reduction of this bias. The present paper tests a new in literature mechanism orienting a person on others - thusly linked with egocentrism - i.e., mimicry. Results showed directly opposite results: mimicry induced greater/stronger tendency to perceive oneself as less threatened. This result is not only surprising but especially alarming since mimicry may be used in patient-doctor dialogue which may backfire by resisting following medical recommendations provided by the doctor.