Whether it’s better to brag or be humble depends on what perception one seeks to change, whether hard evidence will come to light, and what that evidence says.

However, there is a significant tradeoff, a “humility paradox.” Individuals who claim to be above-average ability will be perceived as more competent but sometimes less moral than those who remain humble. And once actual evidence of ability comes into play, those who unduly inflate their self-image pay the steepest price on both aspects of their character. So the pluses and minuses are evident in both cases. What is the gain? And what is the loss?