Why do most humans have a severe fear of being wrong....and if they are, have the hardest time admitting it?

Answer 1

B/c people have been so conditioned that they MUST be right or they're afriad of facing BAD conciquences... (we've been punishing people for being wrong so much it's just a defensive reaction now for many).
I'll admit all the time when I'm wrong LOL, and I know I don't know it all so I'll be like "I don't know" LOL.
I'm forreal.

Being wrong (seen as above) has been equvilated to:
wrong = weak
wrong = not good thus you loose your pride and dignety ...
It should not be seen as this, it should be seen as an oprotunity to LEARN from your mistake
;-)
We need to equvlate it to possitive thangs :)

Answer 2

Because nothing is good or bad, wrong or right, until it's compared to something else. If the general consensus has established that something is wrong, usually there are consequences, even if it's something as simple as being stared at or ignored, let alone jailed or given the death penalty.

Things aren't inherently wrong or right until it's compared to something else. For example, why is one pencil "better" than another one? It's all based on why you need it, the color, etc. So once the general populace has determined what's acceptable or good or better, you're looked upon as being an outsider or unusual if you do anything other. One BIG requirement of most, if not all, humans, is to be validated. If you're an outsider, no validation is obtained. And that, my friend, is where fear enters the realm.

Answer 3

People, in general, have a sense of immortality. If there is a severe fear of being wrong on a matter/issue/question, then the incorrect answer must stem from a strongly held belief. If that belief is wrong, the person is faced with a reality which jeopardizes his security and, indirectly, his sense of immortality. Admitting this throws a person into an unknown void, like swimming in the ocean.

Answer 4

Wow. Sounds like there's a lot going on behind this question. Like maybe you have a HUGE fear of being wrong and you project that fear onto "most humans". This is a completely unfair statement and it sounds like you're perception has been twisted by years and years of being wrong.

Most people will admit when they're wrong or they won't speak. They don't need to lash out to the world through an internet question site. People are inquisitive by nature. It's a survival instinct. Like when monkeys sniff out a tree before climbing up it. People have learned to "test the waters". A skill that, by this question, seems to have left you.

It's always sad to see people as delusional as yourself that project their fears and worries onto other people because of childhood issues and traumas brought on by not having the correct answers. I wish you would've just let it go as a kid but now for the rest of your life, without a TON of pshychoanalysis and HUGE therapy bills, you will forever see other people as Wrong Without Admitting. WWA for short.

Answer 5

Well, I definately find a truth in Darwin's idea of survival of the fittest--in order to survive, you have to be amongst the stronger, more intelligent, clever, etc. members of society.
When you do something wrong, you are no longer the best, or amongst the best. As a result, your survival guarantee diminishes, which goes against your ability to continue to exist.
I guess this is a bit of an abstract approach though I find logic behind it.

Answer 6

it's a defense mechanism to keep us from being hurt. Admitting ones wrongs is hard for a couple of reasons.
#1 It is hard.
#2 People might not love/like you if they know the reality of my failings
#3 It is just HARD!!!
#4 What if they don't forgive me?
#5 What if I don't forgive me?
#6 IT IS SOOOO HARD!!!

Answer 7

We equate being wrong with being stupid. However, if you're right all the time, you never learn anything. I think we learn significant lessons when we're proved wrong about something. Learning how to handle being criticized is very important to becoming a mature human being.

Answer 8

People who have a hard time admitting their mistakes may have been brought up to believe doing so is a sign of weakness....espicially if these people grew up in a athletic or Alpha (leadership) type enviroment.

Mrs. Wizard HATES to admit her mistakes--espicially when there's NO way to hide them. She was raised in a Alpha/ athletic enviroment, with people who felt admitting mistakes is a sign of weakness.

Answer 9

Being wrong is a weakness, and esteem (whether from others or self-imposed) takes a major hit.

Also, no one ever seems to forget that you were wrong and it gets lorded over you every time you do something.

Answer 10

It is definitely a pride thing. People feel belittled when corrected. Many people compare themselves to others to see how they measure up. Perhaps they feel insignificant when they are wrong or corrected, and therefore don't want to admit it.