Impression formation

How do we form judgements and

impressions of people?

Are some types of information

more important than other?

What are the approaches to the

study of impression formation?

Asch’s paradigmAsch’s paradigm

Those who saw the first group (warm) of adjectives Those who saw the first group (warm) of adjectives

usually form a more positive impression of the usually form a more positive impression of the

person.person.

Asch’s (1946) explanation was that we form Asch’s (1946) explanation was that we form

impressions using some kind of gestalt or ‘whole impressions using some kind of gestalt or ‘whole

picture’, with each piece of information influencing picture’, with each piece of information influencing

the others.the others.

an intelligent & warm person generates a positive an intelligent & warm person generates a positive

impressionimpression

an intelligent & cold person generates a negative an intelligent & cold person generates a negative

impressionimpressionAsh, S. (1946).   Forming impressions of personality. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 41, 258-290.

Asch’s configural modelAsch’s configural model

This approach is known as the configural modelThis approach is known as the configural model

The cold and warm traits have a strong effect on The cold and warm traits have a strong effect on the interpretation of the surrounding traitsthe interpretation of the surrounding traits

These are termed CENTRAL traits because of their These are termed CENTRAL traits because of their influenceinfluence

Other traits do not have the same power: polite / Other traits do not have the same power: polite / bluntblunt

Traits which appear first have more impact in Traits which appear first have more impact in finalfinal

impression (primacy effect)impression (primacy effect)

Class experimentClass experiment

WARMN1 = 15+6

COLDN2 = 14+6

Generous Ungenerous 11+5 4+2

Unhappy Happy 2+0 5+1

Irritable Good-Natured

3+1 11+6

Sociable Unsociable 13+3 3+1

Unreliable Reliable 0+0 0+0

Ruthless Humane 1+0 8+0

Good-looking

Unattractive 4+3 10+3

Restrained Talkative 9+3 11+5

Dishonest Honest 2+1 1+1