Changes in Impression Complexity Over Time and Across Situations

This set of studies tested the idea that higher levels of acquaintance with an individual would be associated with greater impression complexity. Two aspects of acquaintance were examined: length of relationship and contextual diversity of interactions. In Study 1, participants provided written desc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Personality & social psychology bulletin 2001-09, Vol.27 (9), p.1071-1085
Main Author: Welbourne, Jennifer L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquaintances
Complexity
Contextual factors
Impression formation
Personal relationships
Personality
Social psychology
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Summary:This set of studies tested the idea that higher levels of acquaintance with an individual would be associated with greater impression complexity. Two aspects of acquaintance were examined: length of relationship and contextual diversity of interactions. In Study 1, participants provided written descriptions of acquaintances known for different lengths of time and at different levels of contextual diversity. Contextual diversity in interactions with an acquaintance was associated with (a) less evaluative and descriptive consistency in impressions, (b) greater contextual differentiation in impressions, and (c) the development of causal theories to explain the acquaintance’s behaviors. In Study 2, impression complexity was assessed using a trait-sort task. Contextual diversity, but not length of relationship, was associated with higher complexity scores.
ISSN:0146-1672
1552-7433
DOI:10.1177/0146167201279001