TY - JOUR

T1 - The Effect of Dislike on Accuracy and Bias in Person Perception

AU - Zimmermann, Johannes

AU - Schindler, Simon

AU - Klaus, Geraldine

AU - Leising, Daniel

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - The present work explores how accuracy and bias in person perception change with the level of liking that the perceiver holds toward the target person. Specifically, we studied whether dislike affects (a) the social desirability of judgments (positivity bias), (b) the extent to which the target is described like an average person (normative accuracy), and (c) the extent to which the judgment reflects the given target’s characteristics in particular (distinctive accuracy). Eighty-four participants watched four target persons on video, after receiving bogus feedback on how positively or negatively those targets had supposedly evaluated them. The participants reciprocated negative bogus evaluations showing a marked decrease in reported liking for the respective target. Most important, dislike was consistently associated with lower positivity bias, greater normative accuracy, and lower distinctive accuracy across two validation measures (i.e., self-reports and informant reports of target persons).

AB - The present work explores how accuracy and bias in person perception change with the level of liking that the perceiver holds toward the target person. Specifically, we studied whether dislike affects (a) the social desirability of judgments (positivity bias), (b) the extent to which the target is described like an average person (normative accuracy), and (c) the extent to which the judgment reflects the given target’s characteristics in particular (distinctive accuracy). Eighty-four participants watched four target persons on video, after receiving bogus feedback on how positively or negatively those targets had supposedly evaluated them. The participants reciprocated negative bogus evaluations showing a marked decrease in reported liking for the respective target. Most important, dislike was consistently associated with lower positivity bias, greater normative accuracy, and lower distinctive accuracy across two validation measures (i.e., self-reports and informant reports of target persons).

KW - accuracy

KW - interpersonal relationships

KW - person perception

KW - personality assessment

KW - response style

KW - Psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85038557286&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/1948550617703167

DO - 10.1177/1948550617703167

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85038557286

VL - 9

SP - 80

EP - 88

JO - Social Psychological and Personality Science

JF - Social Psychological and Personality Science

SN - 1948-5506

IS - 1

ER -