Implicit personality theory

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Implicit personality theory (IPA) concerns the general expectations that we build about a person after we know something of their central traits. For example when we believe that a happy person is also friendly, or that quiet people are timid.

Individuals hold a network of assumptions that are based around relationships among various traits, and behaviors. Individuals who identify that there is one particular trait associated with someone will also assume that the individual possesses other character traits, which may or may not be true. One example might be someone who is considered unpredictable is also dangerous or someone who speaks slowly is slow-witted. Solomon Asch (1946) first discovered that the presence of one trait often implies the existence of other additional traits. Furthermore, Asch noted that certain traits can be characterized as central traits, meaning that they imply the presence of other traits and exert a powerful influence on final impressions. For example, people associate the words warm and cold with other traits. Warm is associated with positive traits such as happy and generous; while people associate the word cold with traits opposite of warm. Other researchers have found similar effects in which the impact of central traits is not limited to trait lists. The use of implicit personalities is also associated with assumptions and personality traits. [1] Another example is when individuals believe that a happy person is also friendly or that quiet people are timid. On the other hand, people who are irritable may be seen as in disarray in their daily life. Therefore, people assume other individuals’ personalities are in doubt using little information. Implicit theories are also important with regard to prejudice and social identity issues. These roles can be noticed in the similarities and differences between intragroup and intergroup stereotyping. Experiments conducted by Goldstein, introduced psychology students to testing their implicit personality theories through the use of cyberspace.[2] Information relating to the experiment of social psychologists and their social theories was given to the students with the help of internet home pages. Findings showed that some students were uncomfortable at which they had labeled and easily formed implicit personalities of other individuals; however, others were excited about how well they contacted the targets of their theories to see if they were correct.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kassin, S., Fein, S., Markus, H. (2008). Social Psychology Seventh Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
  2. ^ Goldstein, M. D. (1998). Forming and Testing Implicit Personality Theories in Cyberspace. Teaching of Psychology. 25, 216-218.


[edit] See also

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