Self-affirmation and productivity: Backfiring among those who could benefit the most
在纳米比亚极端贫困和受污名群体中，标准自我肯定干预反而降低了劳动生产率的现场实验，并在美国在线实验中复现，表明此类干预可能对最需要提升自我形象和生产率的人无效甚至有害。
Abstract In a field experiment among an extremely poor and stigmatised group in Namibia, we study the effect of a standard self-affirmation intervention – i.e., asking participants to recall experiences that made them feel successful and proud – on labour productivity. In a control condition, we simply ask participants to recall their daily routines. In both experimental conditions, participants then work on a real job with piece-rate incentives. Surprisingly, the self-affirmation intervention backfires: participants are substantially less productive than those in the control condition. An analysis of participants’ answers to the self-affirmation intervention suggests that the backfiring can be explained by difficulties in recalling positive experiences. To provide causal evidence for this conjecture, we conduct a well-powered online follow-up experiment with U.S. participants, which replicates the backfiring in a completely different context. Thus, our study provides evidence that standard self-affirmation interventions should be treated with some caution, as they may be ineffective and even counterproductive for those who would most need a boost in self-image and productivity. The unintended result notwithstanding, we provide clear evidence that productivity is malleable through psychological interventions.