Spontaneous Trait Inferences From Behavior: A Systematic Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Research suggests that people spontaneously infer traits from behavioral information, thus forming impressions of actors’ personalities. Such spontaneous trait inferences (STI) have been examined in a wide range of studies in the last four decades. Here, we provide the first systematic meta-analysis of this vast literature. We included data from k = 86 publications, with overall N = 13,630 participants. The average STI effect was moderate to large ( dz = 0.59) and showed substantial heterogeneity. The type of experimental paradigm significantly moderated the STI effect size, with larger effects in long-term memory–based paradigms compared with working memory–based paradigms. Generally, STI effects were robust to various methodological variations and also to potential concerns of publication bias. Contrary to expectations, cultural background (independent vs. interdependent) did not emerge as a significant moderator of STI effects. We discuss these findings with respect to their theoretical relevance and derive implications for future research and theorizing.

Investigating mechanisms of political polarization: Perceivers spontaneously infer ideological categories from other people's behavior

“…Since the indirect paradigm better conceals the true objective of the experiment, demand effects or socially desirable responding should be less likely than in Experiment 1. Albeit the effect size in Experiment 2 is a lot smaller than in Experiment 1, it is still almost four times as large as the average STI‐effect in this paradigm (Bott et al, 2022). This suggests that there may be a higher readiness to infer ideological categories compared to ordinary traits.…”

“…Data analyses are based on valid data from N = 163 participants. Despite the meta‐analytic effect for STIs being moderate to large ( d z = 0.59; Bott et al, 2022), we set our smallest effect size of interest to d z = 0.20, due to the novelty of our materials. Using G*Power 3.1 (Faul et al, 2007), we calculated a minimum sample of N = 156 to obtain 80% power for detecting this effect at α = .05 using a one‐tailed dependent samples t test.…”

“…They found that so‐called spontaneous trait inferences (STIs) usually occur without the perceiver's intention (Todorov & Uleman, 2002), are reduced but not eliminated by cognitive load (Wells et al, 2011), and even occur when participants are instructed to suppress them (Shimizu, 2017). Moreover, a recent meta‐analysis suggests that STI effects are very robust (Bott et al, 2022). The correspondence bias thus might occur, because STIs are relatively automatic while their correction is a more controlled and effortful process (Moskowitz, 2005).…”

People Who Accommodate Others’ Sexist Views Are Themselves Perceived to Be Sexist

“…The prominence of internal explanations is supported by classic work on the fundamental attribution error, which stipulates that observers tend to overestimate the importance of dispositional factors relative to environmental constraints (Ross, 1977), and by research on the correspondence bias, according to which observers draw internal attributions for others’ actions even when those actions are motivated by external pressures (Jones & Harris, 1967; see also Gilbert & Malone, 1995). Recent theorizing, such as the spontaneous trait inferences framework (Bott et al, 2022; Kressel & Uleman, 2015) and the inherence heuristic perspective (Cimpian & Salomon, 2014), similarly posit that observers often discount transient goals and situational pressures when judging actors’ behavior and instead focus on internal dispositions (cf. Hassin et al, 2005).…”

Investigating Mechanisms of Political Polarization: Perceivers Spontaneously Infer Ideological Categories from Other People’s Behavior

“…They found that so-called spontaneous trait inferences (STIs) usually occur without the perceiver's intention (Todorov & Uleman, 2002), are reduced but not eliminated by cognitive load (Wells et al, 2011), and even occur when participants are instructed to suppress them (Shimizu, 2017). Moreover, a recent meta-analysis suggests that STI effects are very robust (Bott et al, 2022). The correspondence bias thus might occur because STIs are relatively automatic while their correction is a more controlled and effortful process (Moskowitz, 2005).…”