[46], unprotected sex [47], and criminal arrest [48]. Moreover, neuroticism predicts the earlier onset

[46], unprotected sex [47], and criminal arrest [48]. Moreover, neuroticism predicts the earlier onset of chronic illnesses [49] and depression [50].Arguments for the Costs of Positive Trait ChangePositive trait change may lead to perceptions of improvement, but it may also lead to perceptions of self inconsistency. The self-system theory (SST) focuses on the paradoxical impact of such perceptions, which qhw.v5i4.5120 constitute temporal comparisons of Setmelanotide site Perceived improvement relative to stability [51]. People use temporal self-comparisons to ascertain personal change or continuity. They examine the similarity of some facet of the self in relation to the past and, in turn, they indicate how much they believe they have changed or stayed fpsyg.2014.00726 the same. Judgments about change, couched in evaluative terms such as better or worse, reveal whether people feel that their personal qualities, abilities, functioning, or aspects of life have improved or declined [52,53]. According to SST, the standards of self-consistency and self-enhancement are germane to predicting whether people will view positive trait change (i.e., improvement) as good, bad, or both. Consistency is the principle of viewing oneself as the same over time, while enhancement is the principle of seeing oneself as better than others or, as is relevant to this study, as a better person over time [54]. Individuals use both self-standards to understand themselves, judge themselves, and self-regulate their behavior. Individuals desire feedback that is consistent with and flattering of the self [54?0]. Self-consistency and self-enhancement provide individuals with confidence–a sense that their life is predictable–and self-enhancement also provides individuals with the sense of overall worth [56,61?3]. People react and respond to judgments of their experiences through the channels of affect and cognition [64,65]. When information or experience can be judged as uniformly bad or good, individuals’ feelings and thoughts about that experience are aligned. Good experiences lead to positive feelings and positive thoughts; bad experiences lead to negative feelings and negative thoughts. When experience and judgments are a mixture of good and bad, feelings and thoughts can be misaligned, triggering cognitive-affective crossfire [66]. For instance, positive feedback to individuals with high or low self-esteem results in about equal levels of positive affect because the feedback PNPP biological activity satisfies the standards of self-enhancement. However, compared to those with high self-esteem, individuals with low self-esteem are less confident in the veracity of the positive feedback, because it violates the standard of consistency for those with low esteem [66]. Whereas Swann and colleagues [66] showed that some kinds of experience (i.e., receiving positive feedback) for certain kinds of people (i.e., those with low self-esteem) can generate divergent affective and cognitive reactions, the self-system theory (SST) extends this logic to the consequences of subjective change [51]. Perceived decline is uniformly bad because it violates the needs for self-consistency and self-enhancement. Stability satisfies the need for consistency and is neutral with regard to enhancement (i.e., it does not activate the standard of enhancement). However, perceived improvement satisfies the need for enhancement butPLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0131316 July 10,4 /Investigating the Goldilocks Hypothesisviolates the need for consistency. As such, SST.[46], unprotected sex [47], and criminal arrest [48]. Moreover, neuroticism predicts the earlier onset of chronic illnesses [49] and depression [50].Arguments for the Costs of Positive Trait ChangePositive trait change may lead to perceptions of improvement, but it may also lead to perceptions of self inconsistency. The self-system theory (SST) focuses on the paradoxical impact of such perceptions, which qhw.v5i4.5120 constitute temporal comparisons of perceived improvement relative to stability [51]. People use temporal self-comparisons to ascertain personal change or continuity. They examine the similarity of some facet of the self in relation to the past and, in turn, they indicate how much they believe they have changed or stayed fpsyg.2014.00726 the same. Judgments about change, couched in evaluative terms such as better or worse, reveal whether people feel that their personal qualities, abilities, functioning, or aspects of life have improved or declined [52,53]. According to SST, the standards of self-consistency and self-enhancement are germane to predicting whether people will view positive trait change (i.e., improvement) as good, bad, or both. Consistency is the principle of viewing oneself as the same over time, while enhancement is the principle of seeing oneself as better than others or, as is relevant to this study, as a better person over time [54]. Individuals use both self-standards to understand themselves, judge themselves, and self-regulate their behavior. Individuals desire feedback that is consistent with and flattering of the self [54?0]. Self-consistency and self-enhancement provide individuals with confidence–a sense that their life is predictable–and self-enhancement also provides individuals with the sense of overall worth [56,61?3]. People react and respond to judgments of their experiences through the channels of affect and cognition [64,65]. When information or experience can be judged as uniformly bad or good, individuals’ feelings and thoughts about that experience are aligned. Good experiences lead to positive feelings and positive thoughts; bad experiences lead to negative feelings and negative thoughts. When experience and judgments are a mixture of good and bad, feelings and thoughts can be misaligned, triggering cognitive-affective crossfire [66]. For instance, positive feedback to individuals with high or low self-esteem results in about equal levels of positive affect because the feedback satisfies the standards of self-enhancement. However, compared to those with high self-esteem, individuals with low self-esteem are less confident in the veracity of the positive feedback, because it violates the standard of consistency for those with low esteem [66]. Whereas Swann and colleagues [66] showed that some kinds of experience (i.e., receiving positive feedback) for certain kinds of people (i.e., those with low self-esteem) can generate divergent affective and cognitive reactions, the self-system theory (SST) extends this logic to the consequences of subjective change [51]. Perceived decline is uniformly bad because it violates the needs for self-consistency and self-enhancement. Stability satisfies the need for consistency and is neutral with regard to enhancement (i.e., it does not activate the standard of enhancement). However, perceived improvement satisfies the need for enhancement butPLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0131316 July 10,4 /Investigating the Goldilocks Hypothesisviolates the need for consistency. As such, SST.