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Study: Questioning Doubts Boosts Commitment to Goals

12/30/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A new Ohio State University study led by Patrick Carroll finds that questioning one's doubts can strengthen commitment to personal goals.
Researchers induced meta-cognitive doubt and conducted two studies showing that reflecting on uncertainties increased goal commitment.
Carroll cautions that professionals should guide this approach to avoid fostering overconfidence.
The findings were published in Self and Identity.

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Story summary

A new Ohio State University study led by Patrick Carroll finds that questioning one's doubts can strengthen commitment to personal goals.
Researchers induced meta-cognitive doubt and conducted two studies showing that reflecting on uncertainties increased goal commitment.
Carroll cautions that professionals should guide this approach to avoid fostering overconfidence.
The findings were published in Self and Identity.