Is There a Dark Side to Humility? Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Evidence for Existential Costs of Humility

Abstract

ABSTRACT Previous research has highlighted the benefits of holding one’s views with humility. However, might intellectual humility surrounding existential beliefs also incur some psychological costs? To advance research on intellectual humility about existential concerns (IH-E), we conducted four studies (N = 1,700) to examine potential costs of humility. Study 1 (N = 203) revealed that IH-E was associated with greater death-related anxiety. Study 2 (N = 1,151) replicated this association in a larger sample. In Study 3 (N = 77), a longitudinal study of first-year college students revealed that IH-E predicted negative changes in religious well-being three and six weeks later. In Study 4 (N = 269), a year-long longitudinal study of religious “ex-vangelicals” revealed that IH-E predicted religious disbelief and lower well-being one year later. We discuss implications for the nature and structure of security-providing worldviews. Despite the benefits of humility, holding existential beliefs humbly might come with intrapsychic costs.