We addressed explanations for why prisoners manifest the Better‐Than‐Average Effect (perceptions of superiority to the average peer), focusing on three biases: self‐enhancing (social as well as temporal) comparisons, denial, and self‐serving attributions. We tested the Better‐Than‐Average Effect in regards to prisoners’ perceptions of their worst trait, and assessed the relationship between the three biases and positive self‐evaluations. Prisoners engaged in self‐enhancing comparisons, differentiating themselves from other prisoners and their past selves who committed the crime, but also expected self‐improvement in the future. Prisoners also demonstrated denial for intentions to commit the crime, planning of it, recidivism, and over‐estimation of crime prevalence in the general population. Although prisoners made self‐serving attributions by distancing their own character from their criminal behavior and reporting they had experienced more hardship relative to others, they did not attribute the cause of their crime to such hardship. More extensive self‐enhancing temporal comparisons and denial predicted more positive self‐evaluations of prisoners’ worst trait relative to the average community member. The strength of some of these biases varied with levels of narcissism and psychopathy.

中文翻译：

---

解释囚犯的平均水平好于平均水平

我们针对以下原因解释了原因：囚犯为何表现出优于平均的效果（对同龄人的优越感），重点在于三个偏见：自我增强（社会和时间方面）的比较，否定和自我维护的归因。我们针对囚犯对其最坏特征的看法，测试了优于平均的效果，并评估了三个偏见与积极的自我评价之间的关系。囚犯进行自我增强的比较，以区别于其他犯有该罪行的囚犯和他们过去的自己，但他们也希望将来能够自我完善。囚犯还表现出对犯罪意图，计划犯罪，累犯和高估犯罪率的否认。尽管囚犯通过使自己的性格与犯罪行为区分开来，并报告说自己比其他人经历了更多的苦难，从而做出了自我维护的归因，但他们并没有将犯罪原因归因于这种苦难。相对于普通社区成员，更广泛的自我增强的时间比较和否认可以预测囚犯最坏特征的更积极的自我评价。这些偏见的强度随着自恋和心理疾病的程度而变化。相对于普通社区成员，更广泛的自我增强的时间比较和否认可以预测囚犯最坏特征的更积极的自我评价。这些偏见的强度随着自恋和心理疾病的程度而变化。相对于普通社区成员，更广泛的自我增强的时间比较和否认可以预测囚犯最坏特征的更积极的自我评价。这些偏见的强度随着自恋和心理疾病的程度而变化。