Impression Formation
Descriptive Adjectives of Personality and Their Effects on Perception
Juliette Metelus
St. Thomas University
Abstract
The goal of this experiment was to examine rather a) “warm/cold” central trait groups differed the perception participants have of given stimulus persons “Adam/Alice” based on a written biography, and b) if gender of the stimulus person manipulated the variable, and c) if the non-manipulated gender of the participants responded different to the same variable. The description was given to 30 college students, (14) females and (16) males, who contained information that described the stimulus person either, “Adam” (male) or “Alice” (female), as a warm person or rather a cold person, and was then given a questionnaire. The results of a number of studies in the area of person perception suggest that an experimenters’ description of a stimulus can affect how that stimulus is remembered and evaluated (Higgins, Jones, & Rholes, 1977). This present study revealed that A) when “Adam” was described as warm, he was rated as friendlier, more effective as a leader of a social group, and more likely to be included in a social group, B) when described as cold the stimulus person was rated as more effective as a leader of a work group and a social group. According to this study, participates revealed that trait characteristics of an effective leader as being cold, intelligent, skillful, industrious, determine, practical, and cautious. In early studies done by Asch, the central tenet of this research is that particular information we have about a person, namely the traits we believe they possess, is the most important factor in establishing our overall impression of that person (Asch, 1946). Key words: condition, manipulated, participants, questionnaire, perception
Descriptive Adjectives of Personality and Their Effects on Perception
How long does it take for you to form a first impression of someone? Two minutes? Three? Or closer to two or three
Juliette Metelus
St. Thomas University
Abstract
The goal of this experiment was to examine rather a) “warm/cold” central trait groups differed the perception participants have of given stimulus persons “Adam/Alice” based on a written biography, and b) if gender of the stimulus person manipulated the variable, and c) if the non-manipulated gender of the participants responded different to the same variable. The description was given to 30 college students, (14) females and (16) males, who contained information that described the stimulus person either, “Adam” (male) or “Alice” (female), as a warm person or rather a cold person, and was then given a questionnaire. The results of a number of studies in the area of person perception suggest that an experimenters’ description of a stimulus can affect how that stimulus is remembered and evaluated (Higgins, Jones, & Rholes, 1977). This present study revealed that A) when “Adam” was described as warm, he was rated as friendlier, more effective as a leader of a social group, and more likely to be included in a social group, B) when described as cold the stimulus person was rated as more effective as a leader of a work group and a social group. According to this study, participates revealed that trait characteristics of an effective leader as being cold, intelligent, skillful, industrious, determine, practical, and cautious. In early studies done by Asch, the central tenet of this research is that particular information we have about a person, namely the traits we believe they possess, is the most important factor in establishing our overall impression of that person (Asch, 1946). Key words: condition, manipulated, participants, questionnaire, perception
Descriptive Adjectives of Personality and Their Effects on Perception
How long does it take for you to form a first impression of someone? Two minutes? Three? Or closer to two or three