self-confirming

adjective

self-con·​firm·​ing ˌself-kən-ˈfər-miŋ 

: serving or tending to confirm or validate oneself or itself: such as

a

: being or causing the basis for its own validation

self-confirming beliefs/expectations

a self-confirming [=self-fulfilling] prophecy

also : of, relating to, or involving something that is self-confirming

Artists who make a splash in art galleries are promoted in art galleries. This, in turn, makes their splashes bigger, creating a self-confirming effect …

—Robert Dixon

Thus a person who is fearful of writing in front of others may focus on the thought that others will see his hand shake. But that fear itself can amplify his anxiety, thus creating the very hand tremor the person feared. In this way, a self-confirming cycle begins in which fear generates the awkwardness that justifies the fear.

—Daniel Goleman

b

: not including or considering information from external sources that conflicts with the beliefs, assertions, etc., of oneself or one's group

But oftentimes we are self-confirming in our searches. We only register information that we want to hear.

—Veronica Gnaman

Examples of self-confirming in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At its worst, the logic forms a tight, self-confirming loop, one that could increase risks to the patient rather than minimizing them. —Sigal Samuel, Vox, 19 June 2024

The pandemic exacerbated this trend by trapping people in self-confirming bubbles and limiting exposure to new ideas and interactions. —Sarah Davanzo, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above