"Promises to others come with an immediate social cost, as people tend to keep commitments when they know someone else is watching or counting on them. This creates an external incentive that goes far beyond our internal judgments."
"A 2023 field study found that most people kept their word even without external enforcement, demonstrating how powerful social commitment can be in everyday interactions."
"Promises are strategic social tools we use to maintain our relationships, as breaking them can damage our reputation and interpersonal relationships."
"Promises to ourselves lack the external social signal that makes promises to others sticky, leading to a higher likelihood of abandonment."
People are more likely to keep promises made to others due to the social costs associated with breaking them. These commitments serve as social contracts that signal trust and reliability. Research shows that individuals often fulfill promises in social contexts, driven by norms and expectations. Promises to ourselves lack these external signals, making them easier to break. The emotional processing tied to social commitments is hardwired, emphasizing the importance of social accountability in maintaining reliability.
Read at Psychology Today
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