Illusory self-assessments - Can they be reduced?

Research indicates that people have a high estimate of their personal ability and assess their vulnerability to personal risk as less than their peers. Even though these judgments have been found to be resistant to change, previous research suggests that making individuals accountable for their judgments may prevent certain illusory self-assessments developing. Two studies investigated whether accountability modifies estimates of personal ability and vulnerability. Results indicated that making participants more accountable for their judgments significantly reduces positive self-assessments. There was also some suggestion that the extent of the accountability effect is proportional to the magnitude of the accountability manipulation.