Self-Verification

Self-Verification Theory suggests that once people develop firmly held beliefs about themselves, they come to prefer that others see them as they see themselves. For example, just as those who see themselves as relatively dominant want others to see them as dominant, so too do those who see themselves as relatively submissive want others to recognize them as submissive. This motive seems to influence relationship quality in that people who are more satisfied when their partners confirm their self-views.

Developed by William Swann, the theory holds that among people with positive self-views, the desire for self-verification works hand in hand with ...