Forming Impressions of Personality

The purpose of this study was to investigate ways that impressions of the personality are formed. The author begins with a review of previous research by Asch and Luchins to support the study methodology and compare findings. Asch used a trait-name list to investigate subjects personality impressions, and found responses to be unified. Luchins questioned the use of the trait-name list and repeated Asch's experiment, finding responses to lack unification. The use of a motion picture instead of a trait-name list was introduced, in a pilot study. Findings from this study showed three types of responses: related, aggregated, and simplified.

The procedures for the current study included the use of the motion picture portraying a young woman as being promiscuous and immoral, kind and considerate, or neutral. Two groups of male undergraduates (N=26 and N=29) viewed the film. Subjects were read instructions twice and the film was presented with themes shown in reverse order for each group. A third group (N=24) was run to check instructions effects (instructions were read following the movie). Subjects then wrote their impressions and responded to a social distance scale.

The written impressions were analyzed by three judges. Agreement between the judges for Groups 1 and 3 was 90%, and 88% for group 2. The results of the study demonstrated that out of 79 subjects, 18 were classified as Related,

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ng their order (EI and IE). Subjects were read instructions and given the paragraph, and then received a booklet with questions. The first experiment included 437 subjects, from 16 classes in New York City high schools and colleges; subjects were divided into groups E (117), EI (113), IE (91), and I (116). half of the groups were to select descriptors such as friendly and the other half selected unfriendly. Findings were that most subjects in the I group chose shy (97%, 94%) and most from the E group chose friendly (88%, 92%). Findings regarding the combinations groups showed that 85% of responses chose one type or the other and the indices pointed to primacy or the greater influence of the leading descriptor. The second experiment included a more complex set of instructions following the paragraph reading. Subjects were 350 students from colleges in Montreal, Canada. Ten experimenters (student assistants) worked independently. Results showed that four-fifths of the response opportunities for each group showed one block more persuasive than the other, and predominant influence was of the first block; differences were statistically significant. The third experiment used a new questionnaire with a broader realm; subje
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Approximate Word count = 1412
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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