Title: Self-doubt by Ramya Sadasivam, May 2, 2022.
What is Self-Doubt?
Self-Doubt is why psychology self-help books exist.
Self-doubt is: “A lack of faith in one’s self.”
Regardless of where you live, what your circumstance, your characteristics; your gender, sex, age, level of function, or your attitude towards life; everyone has self-doubts.
Is Self-confidence the opposite of self-doubt?
I’ve described self-confidence elsewhere.
Juxtapose self-confidence to self-doubt.
Recall:
Self-Confidence = trust in one’s abilities
Self-Doubt = lack of trust in one’s abilities.
In the above image (by Lee Ling-Yang), “Self-doubt” is on a continuum with the opposite end, “Confidence.”
The actual meaning of self-doubt is not exactly self-confidence in reverse.
Self-Confidence is affirmation, Self-Doubt is uncertainty to act.
What precisely is self-doubt?
Self-doubt extends from the word, “doubt”.
In the American Psychological Dictionary of Psychology the term, “doubt” is defined.
1. (n) lack of confidence or an uncertainty about something or someone, including the self. Doubt may center on everyday concerns (Can I accomplish this task?), issues of daily living (Can I change this ingrained habit?), or the very meaning of life itself (see existential anxiety; existential crisis). It is a perception, typically with a strong affective component, that is frequently a focus during psychotherapeutic intervention.
2. in Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development, see autonomy versus shame and doubt
What are Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development?
What is “autonomy versus shame and self-doubt”
In 1950, Erik Erikson (a developmental theorist) published…Childhood and Society, where he first described eight stages of psychosocial development, and assigned an age range of persons at each stage.
Erikson notes: “…in each stage, a human being faces a… “Psychosocial Crisis.”
…“crisis” here, denotes…danger or dysfunction…a person is pushed (by developmental forces) towards growth and adaptation at the risk of self-stagnation…A favorable outcome in each stage creates what Erikson calls a “virtue”...In contrast,… an incomplete or negative outcome in a stage causes stagnation and this impacts the development of future stages…Each “Psychosocial Crisis” is represented as one vs. another (virtue versus stagnation). Erikson labels…success in a stage as not totally achieving the virtue, but more about balancing both sides of the equation.…Even when a virtue is achieved, new life challenges, later on, might challenge this tentative virtue… When a person regresses back toward a previous stage (which frequently happens), this manifests in diminishment of the virtue through childish behaviors (i.e., temper tantrums) to resolve a given conflict. This is called developmental immaturity…
I present Erikson’s developmental scheme because it has guided, for better or worse, developmental theorists including influential self-help psychologists.
Erikson, himself, was a psychoanalyst by training who broke from strict use of psychoanalytic theory to champion what is known today as a developmental approach to adaptation and adult identity.
NOTE THE SECOND STAGE: AUTONOMY VERSUS SHAME AND (SELF) DOUBT
The Oxford English Dictionary specifically defines self-doubt as follows:
…the (subjective) state of uncertainty with regard to the truth or reality of anything; undecidedness of belief or opinion. The condition of being (objectively) uncertain; a state of affairs such as to give an occasion for hesitation or uncertainty…
For Erikson, the basis for self-doubt is:
FREE WILL, the awareness of and management of one’s own free will. “Free will” aligns with “autonomy” or “freedom to choose” and is linked to awareness of one’s self as independent in the world.
The concept of “FREE WILL” deserves entries in this blog, but, here, I provide only a dictionary definition:
Cambridge Dictionary: Free Will (n): the ability to decide what to do independently of any outside influence:
Why?
Because Free Will is at the core of “who” we think we are. It undergirds what we think we can do, how we think we impact others.
Free Will is one reason we can choose to correct our life-course even mid-stream. People vary in their beliefs about whether free will exists. For example, certain people - prisoners, persons with profound disabilities, people living in a totalitarian state - believe they have limited or no free will, constrained by others, or by an outside influence, or by circumstances to act in a way that is “other directed.”
Some philosophers (and psychologists) view free will as a mirage/hoax. That free will doesn’t exist. B.F. Skinner (a famous behavioral psychologist) believed that everyone is governed by determinism (all actions and events result from other actions, events, not people choosing what to do). Skinner, in his book, Walden II, describes a utopian world absent free will. It’s an errant message, but worth reading.
Walden II makes sense coming from a promoter of psychological constructs like “reinforcement” and “punishment.” Whether true - determinism, not free-will exists, is a matter of philosophical debate.
In this entry, I presume Free Will exists:
Premise #1: Free Will Exists
To disagree with a “Free will exists” premise means reading this entry further may be interesting, but you will not gain much from it because you can’t do anything about your future.
Is Doubt Bad?
NO
Doubt, even self-doubt, (think Decartes), is not bad. It may even be ESSENTIAL to some processes such as the scientific method. The scientific method involves the generation of hypotheses (and then doubting them) or ultimately rejecting them through a process of doubting as in REJECTING THE NULL HYPOTHESIS. Rejection by using doubt to disprove a standing idea is how scientific discoveries are made. A new (or alternative) hypothesis is created when the null hypothesis is rejected.
The scientific method moves forward by “rejecting (or doubting) the most promising or the currently believed hypothesis.”
A null hypothesis: “The Earth is the Center of the Universe”. Reject null hypothesis, then you think, OK, I’ve rejected the idea that the Earth is not the Center of the Universe, but what now? Create (and try to reject) another null hypothesis: “The Sun is the Center of the Universe”. This goes on for a while until you start to evolve an idea that ultimately can’t be rejected. With regard to where the center of the universe is, we are still left with the question.
WHO KNOWS?
Every time you reject a null hypothesis, you, “supposedly, learn something. Yes, the Sun is more central than the earth; but is the Sun also NOT the Center of the Universe? And so on. This is how it works.
Richard Feynman, one of the more brilliant physicists of the 20th Century has written with regard to doubt:
“I think that when we know that we actually do live in uncertainty, then we ought to admit it; it is of great value to realize that we do not know the answers to different questions,”…“This attitude of mind—this attitude of uncertainty—is vital to the scientist, and it is this attitude of mind which the student must first acquire. It becomes a habit of thought. Once acquired, one cannot retreat from it anymore.”
NOTE: I’m not, personally, a big believer of the Scientific Method. However, it has its place (just as religion and religious ideology has its place). We are evolving and changing; this means ourselves, our planet, our way of life.
As we do, we take hold of ideas and things for a while only to let them go and grab onto something else. We doubt, sometimes, the old and embrace, sometimes, the new. But, in self-doubt, we doubt ourselves. Does “truth” exist in self-doubt?
There will come a time when old ideas (like the scientific method, will be abandoned for new ideas). Religion is another matter. Why has this religious belief stayed around for as long as it has?
I’ll leave you to consider this NOTE until I discuss it further in a future entry.
MEASURING SELF-DOUBT
Self-Doubt is more personalized than simply doubt. It has a stronger intra-personal psychological feature and high self doubt is usually interpreted as “bad” “maladaptive” “problematic”. But is it really?
Self-Doubt (like plain old doubt) can be measured - like every other psychological construct.
Below is a Self-Doubt Test. This is where you can examine your own self-doubt.
There are many self-doubt tests, some long, some short. The longer a test, the more reliable it is, this is a short self-doubt test to make the point that self-doubt exists and can be measured. I wouldn’t make too much out of your score on this test.
The Judgmental Self-Doubt Scale (JSDS):
Mirels, H. L., Greblo, P., & Dean, J. B. (2002). Judgmental self-doubt: Beliefs about one’s judgmental prowess. Personality and individual differences, 33(5), 741-758.
A 19-item, 6-point, Likert self-report instrument that measures the construct, self-doubt” defined as: making accurate personal judgments or good decisions. This includes decisiveness or the ability to act on decisional tasks. Procrastinators would score poorly on the JSDS.
Respond to each question below on whether you agree or disagree with each statement: -3 (strongly disagree) to +3 (strongly agree)
I have difficulty making decisions.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
I have a tendency to change my mind according to the last opinion I hear.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
After deciding something, I worry about whether my decision was wrong.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
I frequently find myself afraid of not doing the right thing.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
I often have the sense that others know better than I do.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
Often I put off making difficult decisions.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
I often don’t trust myself to make the right decision.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
I often trust the judgment of others more than my own.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
My judgments about situations often turn out to be mistaken.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
I often worry about whether a decision I made will have bad consequences.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
In making a decision, I often tire myself out by switching back and forth from one conclusion to another.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
I am inclined to have trouble knowing where to stand on an issue.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
When making a decision, I often feel confused because I have trouble keeping all relevant factors in mind.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
In almost all situations I am (NOT) confident of my ability to make the right choices.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
I often don’t know what to feel or believe.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
I wish I were more confident in my opinions.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
Many times I don’t know what to do next.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
I (DO NOT) have a great deal of confidence in my opinions.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
Frequently, I doubt my ability to make sound judgments.
-3 strongly disagree
-2 disagree
-1 somewhat disagree
0 neutral
1 somewhat agree
2 agree
3 strongly agree
The maximum positive score on this test = 57 and the maximum negative score on this test = -57. A negative score reflect self-doubt. The more negative the score the HIGHER the Self Doubt, the midpoint is 0 (scoring neutral on every question). If you score below zero, then you have expressed self doubt. If less than -27 you are a high self doubter.
Below is a normative curve for the JSDS. I could not identify normative groups (or scores for normative groups) for this test, although they do exist. The authors have been careful to make any psychometric properties or normative data proprietary; however, from just a normal distribution between -57 to +57 you can estimate where you would fall in endorsing self-doubt.
-57 -27 -19 0 +19 +27 +57
The goal of this exercise is to evaluate whether you have none, a little, or a lot of Judgmental self doubt.
Scoring in top quartile on the JSDS suggests: a person who lacks a clear image of the self as an agent of action in the world.
What are the Implications of High Self Doubt?
Study after study has documented that self-doubters, as a rule, tend to be more accurate on tasks than individuals who have little or no self doubt. This makes sense because no self-doubt is a false sense certainty “I’m right all the time,” “I know what I’m doing is right and correct and I don’t need to consider other factors.” Perhaps you know somebody like this (hopefully it is not your surgeon).
Is such a strong-minded person always, objectively, right?
People who are overconfident, for whatever reason, express highly biased reasoning and such bias diminishes accuracy.
What does it mean if you are high in Self-Doubt? (think personalized: “Biased Reasoning towards non-acting”)
You look for evidence that your abilities aren’t good enough.
You hold yourself to impossible standards.
You feel overly responsible if mistakes are made.
You overanalyze simple decisions.
You make friends with people who reinforce your own self-doubt.
Researchers at Ohio State University asked college students to come up with either two or eight past events when they felt confident about their ability to perform an important task.
They found that students who were high in self-doubt actually showed lower self-esteem when they were required to name eight confidence-raising events versus when they had to name only two such examples.
“People with high self-doubt focused on how difficult it was for them to come up with eight positive examples (versus two)… Emphasizing this difficulty to generate eight positive examples influences them to feel worse about themselves,” The author’s of this study reasoned: “People with low self-doubt focus on the whether they successfully came up with eight examples.” This exercise is evidence that low self-doubters’ possess the capability to act and then they affirm themselves for acting. In contrast, the emotional costs of acting for high self-doubters was much more than for low self-doubters.
Individuals experiencing HIGH self-doubt in their relationships underestimated their partners’ love, perceive their partners as less positive towards them, are less satisfied in their relationships. They are also harder to be around.
This research literature suggests that self-doubt does exist in intimate relationships, and when it does, there is relationship uncertainty. I’ve seen this issue working with couples of all ages. It is a challenge for a High Self-Doubter to feel and accept love from others.
How do I Address Profound Feelings of Self Doubt?
If I listed the top 8 reasons people seek me out for therapy, Self-Doubt would be one. I’ve listed these 8 below:
Low Mood: For known and unknown reasons
Anxiety: In all of its forms
Trauma: Current and historical
Loss: Recent or from the past
Self-Doubt: About one’s lifestyle and the future
Transitions: Underestimating the impact
Relationships: Marital, Long-term Partner, etc.
Identify: Stable and unsatisfactory or changing
Self-Doubt fits under “Identity.”
While I agree that Self-Doubt (like Identity) is developmental (See Erik Erikson), Self-Doubt deserves a separate category because self-doubt is a manifestation of a certain kind of identity that is founded on “self-uncertainty.” Self-uncertainty frequently has a strong basis in childhood raising experiences (a harsh, demanding, and critical parent).
I’ve seen many people who state that chronic “Self-Doubt” brings them into therapy. “Dr. I’m too dependent on getting affirmation from others before I can act for myself.” “Dr., I want to learn how to act for myself and develop more confidence in my own capacity to decide and act.”
Are these? 1. Client “ Identity” concerns or a 2. “Self-Doubt” concerns?
I leave you to judge.
If you are High on self doubt, this question might be harder to answer.
I believe “Self-Doubt” is central in one’s identity. A person who strengthens his or her sense of identity certainty will experience less self-doubt… (although this is not always the case).
My view: “self-doubt” is a characterological construct, but self-doubt is not primal; “cautiousness is primal”; that is, people are born with a certain degree of cautiousness about actions (and this gets quickly reframed - through childhood raising or early childhood experiences - into self-doubt as an infant or toddler grows older). Some people, from the get-go, are more cautious about making a decision and acting on that decision than others. If you watch people around you, this feature of humanity (cautiousness to self-doubt) will show itself.
ADDRESSING SELF-DOUBT
Accept yourself.
If you are high in self-doubt, accept this about yourself. Don’t fight it. You can still act in the presence of self-doubt. Think about this fact: “Cautiousness is a virtue of good decision-making, only when it is labeled as self-doubt is it viewed negatively.” If you are a cautious person, good. It will keep you out of trouble.
Re-frame Self Doubt
Reframe self-doubt as a mental phenomenon instead of a “fact of life.” Accept that self-doubt is as much a part of your creative process as other aspects of yourself.
Self-doubt, self-criticism can be useful or good at times, it can be helpful in improving your behavior, say in editing a creative project, or developing a precision-level life skill (you need to do it well to get it right). You don’t want to “throw the baby (cautiousness and self-evaluation) out with the bath water.” So-to-Speak.
Distinguish between realistic and unrealistic self-doubt
Sometimes, self-doubt makes sense. If you are considering jumping across a ravine that is fairly wide, self-doubt might help you survive by avoiding doing something stupid. Too much self-confidence and propensity to act is not always celebrated as a virtue especially when a bias exists (super self-confident people more often than not get into trouble by getting in too deep before they realize that they made a mistake). Examples in literature and religion writing sometimes underscore this point, ‘‘Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall’’; Proverbs 16:18
People act to cope with their feelings of self-doubt. Realistic self-doubt is not reasonable in light of your current skills and resources. When something is doable, really doable, and you still doubt yourself, this is where self-doubt can become problematic. The goal is not never to act. At some point, you should or must act. When and how you act can be governed by a healthy dose of self-doubt at times, but there also needs to be some level of self-affirmation when “acting” makes sense.
Diminish reassurance seeking.
When you seek others’ advice over our own (and if you do this in excess, in every decision you make, then this is problematic), you can send the message internally that you’re not good enough, “if you can’t trust yourself to act when acting is called for no one will trust you to act.” Commit to making a decision on your own when making the decision using your own resources makes sense (pay attention to your inner voice, most people know when things make sense and when it makes sense to act). Acting, even if you are on the fence about an act, is building confidence in yourself (even if you fail). “At least I tried when I knew I had a chance.”
Clarify your values.
Self-Doubt underscores and is a variation of: Self-Esteem, Self-Liking, and self-competence. If you have self-doubt, then by default, your have the makings of self-confidence (both of these terms are cut from the same psychological cloth). Both constructs share common ground.
What are your values related to these opposite terms and concepts?
Do you like yourself?
Will you like yourself if you act in such a way that in sub-optimal?
In areas your know well, can you assert yourself?
Can you engage what you know to act, using what you know, even though it is uncertain if the act will lead to the outcome you desire?
THINK ABOUT THESE PHRASES AND WORK ON THEM.
We all take our personal fears with us wherever we go and as we move through life from childhood to adulthood to old age, and those fears come to the forefront when we encounter uncertainty, BUT, there are things we know, ideas that are clear to us (our moral compass), values we possess (honesty, integrity, decency towards self and others) that can mediate self-doubt.
Essential Mantra Phrase:
Can you act on your values even though others might disagree with your action?
If you can answer this question in the affirmative, you are on the road to diminishing problematic self-doubt.
I’m interested in your feedback on this entry. If you would like to learn more about self-doubt or other psychological ideas, I’m open to your suggestions.