Interfering With Inferential, But Not Associative, Processes Underlying Spontaneous Trait Inference

Abstract

Three studies explore mental processes underlying spontaneous trait inferences about self-informants and the spontaneous trait transference characterizing third-party informants. Process differences are suggested in that instructions prompting a nontrait inference (truth or lie?) reduce self-informant trait-savings effects and lower self-informant trait judgments. For third-party informants, such instructions have no effect on these outcome variables. Results of a third study are inconsistent with cognitive load as an explanation for these effects. Taken together, these results indicate that inferences, and not merely associations, spontaneously form when processing information about self-informants. The results also show that the inferences and judgments that occur in spontaneous trait transference are not caused by the misidentification of third-party informants as self-informants.

Spontaneous social role inferences

“…Although there is also some evidence that STIs are weaker when perceivers encode trait-implying behavior under cognitive load, STIs typically occur even when the perceiver has relatively few cognitive resources (Crawford et al, 2007;Todd et al, 2011;Todorov & Uleman, 2003;see Wells, Skowronski, Crawford, Scherer, & Carlston, 2011). Experiment 3 sought to determine whether SRIs are cognitively efficient as well.…”

“…For instance, upon learning that Adam helped an old lady cross the street, perceivers infer that Adam is helpful. STIs occur quickly (Todd, Molden, Ham, & Vonk, 2011), without intention or awareness (Carlston & Skowronski, 1994;Todorov & Uleman, 2003) and are highly efficient (Crawford, Skowronski, Stiff, & Scherer, 2007;Todd et al, 2011;Todorov & Uleman, 2003). These findings generated a body of research documenting that perceivers also spontaneously infer targets' goals (Hassin, Aarts, & Ferguson, 2005).…”

Seeing, but not thinking: Limiting the spread of spontaneous trait transference II

“…Materials duplicated those used by Crawford et al (2007a) and Crawford, Skowronski, Stiff, and Scherer (2007b). These included 48 photographs (250 · 345 pixels · 16 million colors) of Purdue University students who varied in age, gender (24 males and 24 females), and ethnicity.…”

Inferências espontâneas de traço: Os quatro paradigmaschave

“…Surpreendentemente, mesmo nestas condições, verifica-se que o traço fica associado à face do comunicador apresentada. Este efeito designa-se por transferência espontânea de traço (TET) e tem suscitado um grande número de estudos (Carlston & Skowronski, 2005;Crawford, Skowronski, Stiff, & Leonards, 2008;Crawford, Skowronski, Stiff, & Scherer, 2007;Mae, Carlston, & Skowronski, 1999;Skowronski et al, 1998). Neste contexto, surgiram estudos que apresentam juntamente com a fotografia do actor, uma fotografia de uma pessoa irrelevante ou de um objecto, de forma a explorar a ocorrência simultânea de IETs e de TETs (Brown & Bassili, 2002;Goren & Todorov, 2009;Todorov & Uleman, 2004).…”