Accurate Judgments of Neuroticism at Zero Acquaintance: A Question of Relevance

Abstract

Prior studies have consistently found a surprising inaccuracy of people's neuroticism judgments at zero acquaintance. Based on the Realistic Accuracy Model (Funder, 1995), we hypothesize that this is due to a lack of relevance of the situation in which targets are typically observed. Fifty participants were videotaped in a highly trait-relevant (i.e., socially stressful) situation as well as three less relevant situations. An aggregate of self-reports and informant reports was used as the accuracy criterion. Four independent groups of unacquainted observers judged participants' neuroticism based on these short video sequences. Results showed that neuroticism judgments were significantly more accurate for the most trait-relevant situation compared with the other three situations. This finding can be explained using lens model analyses: Only in the most relevant situation did neuroticism predict both visual nervousness and vocal nervousness, both of which in turn predicted neuroticism judgments by lay observers. Our findings show that strangers are sensitive to interindividual differences in neuroticism as long as targets are observed in a trait-relevant situation.

Why are moderators of self-other agreement difficult to establish?

“…Nobody can live a normal life without constantly emanating relevant information about his or her personality dispositions. We can refer here to a vast amount of literature on so-called zero acquaintances and thin slices of experience (Albright et al, 1988;Ambady & Rosenthal, 1992;Beer & Wayson, 2008;Borkenau & Liebler, 1992;Borkenau et al, 2004;Hirschmüller, Egloff, Schmukle, Nestler, & Back, 2015;Leikas, Verkasalo, & Lönnqvist, 2013;Tackett, Herzhoff, Kushner, & Rule, 2016). All these data, together with the present study, seem to indicate that personality judgments are not very sophisticated, and that they do not require huge amounts of practice to be carried out successfully.…”

Cardiac vagal flexibility and accurate personality impressions: Examining a physiological correlate of the good judge

“…This is in line with past work suggesting that for perceiver characteristics to predict accuracy, targets must provide sufficiently relevant cues (Rogers, ; Zaki et al, ). Just as good targets may make more relevant cues available to perceivers, good traits should also have clearer, more relevant behavioral manifestations (Funder, ; Hirschmüller et al, ). Thus, cardiac vagal flexibility, and social sensitivity more broadly, is likely only able to foster accuracy when there are relevant cues available.…”

Accuracy of Judging Affect and Accuracy of Judging Personality: How and When Are They Related?

“…Furthermore, Neuroticism is related to nonverbal qualities of appearance and behavior; Borkenau and Liebler (1995) found that more neurotic targets behaved less positively overall (e.g., less smiling) and behaved in an uncertain and nondominant manner (e.g., less self-assured expression, less eye contact, less powerful voice, and more speech dysfluencies). Other studies have found that Neuroticism is linked to behavioral signs of anxiety or nervousness (Back, Schmukle, & Egloff, 2009;Gawda, 2007;Hirschm€ uller, Egloff, Schmukle, Nestler, & Back, 2015).…”