Person organization with a memory set: are spontaneous trait inferences personality characterizations or behaviour labels?

1993 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 195-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon B. Moskowitz
Keyword(s):  
Impression Formation ◽  
Personality Characteristics ◽  
Current Experiment ◽  
Stimulus Information ◽  
Set Size ◽  
The People ◽  
Spontaneous Trait Inferences ◽  
Trait Inferences ◽  
Set Size Effects ◽  
Do So

Recent research on impression formation has demonstrated that perceivers can categorize the action of target actors in terms of the traits that those behaviours represent, and that they do so in a spontaneous fashion, with neither the intent of categorizing nor the awareness of categorizing. This has resulted in a discussion about what these inferences refer to. Are they simple summaries of the behaviour without implications for the personalities of the people enacting those behaviours, or are they inferences about the target's disposition? The current experiment uses a procedure from the person memory literature to establish that these inferences are in fact references to the qualities of the target actors. Set size effects demonstrate that perceivers are organizing their inferred traits in person nodes; the person serves as the superordinate cue to which inferences are attached. This not only provides evidence that inferences formed spontaneously refer to the personality characteristics of the target, but also provides the first evidence of person organization under simple instructions to memorize stimulus information. The implications of the richness of the target information for spontaneously forming person inferences and for person organization in general are discussed.

The Relationship Between Spontaneous Trait Inferences and Spontaneous Situational Inferences: A Developmental Approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 569-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Zhang ◽  
Ningjuan Fang
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Impression Formation ◽  
Social Judgment ◽  
Developmental Approach ◽  
Recognition Probe ◽  
Spontaneous Trait Inferences ◽  
Trait Inferences ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Chinese Children And Adolescents

Using a recognition probe paradigm, we examined the relationship between the strength of tendency to make spontaneous trait inferences (STIs) and the strength of tendency to make spontaneous situational inferences (SSIs) among 3 groups of Chinese children and adolescents (N = 144) aged 8, 11, and 14 years, respectively. The results showed that the children could make both STIs and SSIs simultaneously from the age of 8 years. Both 8- and 11-year-olds were more likely to make SSIs than STIs, but for the 11-year-olds there was no difference between the strength of tendency to make STIs and the strength of tendency to make SSIs. These results are discussed in the light of social judgment processes, and of cultural differences in spontaneous impression formation.

Thinking About Other People

2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica D. Schneid ◽  
Matthew T. Crawford ◽  
John J. Skowronski ◽  
Lauren M. Irwin ◽  
Donal E. Carlston
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Impression Formation ◽  
False Recognition ◽  
Semantic Information ◽  
Formation Processes ◽  
Spontaneous Trait Inferences ◽  
Trait Inferences ◽  
Facilitated Learning

Three experiments examined whether people spontaneously generate evaluations of target individuals under circumstances in which they are also known to generate spontaneous trait inferences (STIs). The first experiment used a standard savings-in-relearning paradigm to explore whether exposure to trait-implicative behavior descriptions facilitates the learning of evaluatively-congruent, as well as behavior-implied, personality traits. Evidence for the facilitated learning of evaluatively-congruent traits was not obtained. This led to a second experiment in which the savings-in-relearning paradigm was altered to directly assess participants’ relearning of evaluative words (good/bad). The results demonstrated that the same trait-implicative behavioral stimuli can produce both spontaneous trait inferences and spontaneous evaluations when both are measured correctly. Both of these outcomes were replicated in a third study using a false recognition paradigm. The implications of these findings for impression formation processes and for the possible independence of semantic information and evaluative information are discussed.

Primed Self-Construal, Culture, and Stages of Impression Formation

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 196-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Adil Saribay ◽  
SoYon Rim ◽  
James S. Uleman
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Impression Formation ◽  
False Recognition ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Priming Effects ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
Spontaneous Trait Inferences ◽  
Trait Inferences ◽  
Construal Priming

The effects of culture on impression formation are widely documented but poorly understood. Priming independent and interdependent self-construals, and focusing on particular stages of impression formation, could help remedy this because such self-construals differ across cultures. In three experiments, participants’ were primed with independent or interdependent self-construals before they formed spontaneous or intentional impressions of others. In Experiment 1, lexical decision reaction times showed that both traits and situational properties were activated spontaneously, but were unaffected by self-construal priming. In Experiment 2, a false-recognition paradigm showed that spontaneous trait inferences were bound to relevant actors’ faces, again regardless of self-construal priming. In Experiment 3, explicit ratings did show priming effects. Those primed with independent (but not interdependent) self-construal inferred traits more strongly than situational properties. Primed self-construals appear to affect intentional but not spontaneous stages of impression formation. The differences between effects of primed and chronic self-construals are discussed.

Easy to Make, Hard to Revise: Updating Spontaneous Trait Inferences in the Presence of Trait-Inconsistent Information

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 571-625
Author(s):  
Irmak Olcaysoy Okten ◽  
Gordon B. Moskowitz
Keyword(s):  
Impression Formation ◽  
Explicit Memory ◽  
Single Point ◽  
First Impressions ◽  
Memory Reconsolidation ◽  
Memory Reactivation ◽  
Inconsistent Information ◽  
Spontaneous Trait Inferences ◽  
Trait Inferences ◽  
Over Time

Previous research has shown that perceivers spontaneously form trait inferences from others' behaviors received at a single point in time. The present work examined the persistence of spontaneous trait inferences (STIs) in the presence of trait-inconsistent information about others. We hypothesized that STIs should be resistant to change over time and in the presence of new trait-inconsistent information due to perceivers forming and storing multiple STIs independently in memory. Consistently, Experiments 1a and 1b showed that initial STIs were not affected by new trait-inconsistent information. Experiments 2 and 3 revealed that STIs were persistent over 48 hours. Two experiments also tested memory reconsolidation as a possible mechanism of updating first impressions. While STIs were not substantially affected, spontaneous goal inferences (SGIs) were elevated among those with a better explicit memory of behaviors after learning trait-inconsistent information following a memory reactivation procedure. Implications of these findings on impression formation and updating processes are discussed.

Cultural Differences in Spontaneous Trait and Situation Inferences

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 627-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajin Lee ◽  
Yuki Shimizu ◽  
Takahiko Masuda ◽  
James S. Uleman
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Impression Formation ◽  
Social Orientation ◽  
Thinking Styles ◽  
Thinking Style ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Analytic Thinking ◽  
Spontaneous Trait Inferences ◽  
Trait Inferences

Previous findings indicated that when people observe someone’s behavior, they spontaneously infer the traits and situations that cause the target person’s behavior. These inference processes are called spontaneous trait inferences (STIs) and spontaneous situation inferences (SSIs). While both patterns of inferences have been observed, no research has examined the extent to which people from different cultural backgrounds produce these inferences when information affords both trait and situation inferences. Based on the theoretical frameworks of social orientations and thinking styles, we hypothesized that European Canadians would be more likely to produce STIs than SSIs because of the individualistic/independent social orientation and the analytic thinking style dominant in North America, whereas Japanese would produce both STIs and SSIs equally because of the collectivistic/interdependent social orientation and the holistic thinking style dominant in East Asia. Employing the savings-in-relearning paradigm, we presented information that affords both STIs and SSIs and examined cultural differences in the extent of both inferences. The results supported our hypotheses. The relationships between culturally dominant styles of thought and the inference processes in impression formation are discussed.

scholarly journals Spontaneous Trait Inferences on Social Media

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Levordashka ◽  
Sonja Utz
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
False Recognition ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Simultaneous Presentation ◽  
Multiple Cues ◽  
Direct Assessment ◽  
Parallel Experiment ◽  
Spontaneous Trait Inferences ◽  
Trait Inferences ◽  
Do So

The present research investigates whether spontaneous trait inferences occur under conditions characteristic of social media and networking sites: nonextreme, ostensibly self-generated content, simultaneous presentation of multiple cues, and self-paced browsing. We used an established measure of trait inferences (false recognition paradigm) and a direct assessment of impressions. Without being asked to do so, participants spontaneously formed impressions of people whose status updates they saw. Our results suggest that trait inferences occurred from nonextreme self-generated content, which is commonly found in social media updates (Experiment 1) and when nine status updates from different people were presented in parallel (Experiment 2). Although inferences did occur during free browsing, the results suggest that participants did not necessarily associate the traits with the corresponding status update authors (Experiment 3). Overall, the findings suggest that spontaneous trait inferences occur on social media. We discuss implications for online communication and research on spontaneous trait inferences.

scholarly journals Consequences of being unable to categorize: Racial ambiguity and spontaneous trait inferences

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmine B Norman ◽  
Jacqueline Chen
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Perception ◽  
Impression Formation ◽  
Formation Process ◽  
Group Membership ◽  
Racial Ambiguity ◽  
Spontaneous Trait Inferences ◽  
Trait Inferences ◽  
Racially Ambiguous

Limited research has examined impression formation in the context of dual or ambiguous group membership. This research examined the consequences of being unable to categorize by investigating the influence of racial ambiguity on spontaneous trait inferences (STIs). Participants (N = 112) completed a savings-in-relearning paradigm, designed to measure the formation of STIs (Carlston & Skowronski, 1994). STI formation for racially ambiguous and racially unambiguous (i.e., easily categorizable) faces was compared. Results suggest that racial ambiguity impaired perceiver’s ability to form STIs, a basic impression formation process. Implications of these findings for social perception and social interaction are discussed.

Delicate Years: Children and Identity in Zimbabwean Literature

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine Muganiwa
Keyword(s):  
Growing Up ◽  
Economic Crises ◽  
Child Characters ◽  
The People ◽  
Do So

The paper argues that children face challenges in growing up and fitting into their societies and that these challenges need to be addressed with care. These challenges, which are complicated by the effects of colonialism, war and economic crises in the context of Zimbabwe, are portrayed in the novels Nervous Conditions (Dangarembga 1989), The Book of Not (Dangarembga 2006), The Uncertainty of Hope (Tagwira 2006) and Running with Mother (Mlalazi 2012). In analysing the characters of the children portrayed in these four novels, the vulnerability of children, regardless of their age, is demonstrated. The child characters strive to help their parents and be useful citizens and yet at times this contrasts with their desire to be sheltered and treated as children. This contradiction is best exhibited in teenagers who try to fashion their own identity that is separate from the people around them but who still require guidance to do so.

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