Impression Formation PDF - Social Cognition, Psyc3001, 2024-2025

Impression Formation Social Cognition Psyc3001 2024-2025  Impression Formation How do you form an impression of a person you are meeting for the first time? Do you use categorical, stereotypical thinking or are you usually objective and open minded to learn about the char...

Impression Formation Social Cognition Psyc3001 2024-2025  Impression Formation How do you form an impression of a person you are meeting for the first time? Do you use categorical, stereotypical thinking or are you usually objective and open minded to learn about the characteristics of the individual.  Impression Formation  The background of Impression Formation speaks to a dual way in which we process information (dual process model). You can be a cognitive miser: lacking objectivity, relying on stereotypes, heuristics, schemas and half-truths in making inferences or  Be flexible, objective, and an effortful thinker.  You Judge!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rR FOW4x43g  What is Impression Formation? That field of study that focuses on mental representations that result when people encounter information about other people The process by which individuals perceive, organize and ultimately integrate information to form unified and coherent situated impressions of others.  Models of impression formation:  Continuum Model – Fiske & Neuberg  Dual Process Model – Brewer  Continuum Model (Susan Fiske & Steven Neuberg) Asserts that impressions are formed along a spectrum, ranging from quick, category-based judgments (using stereotypes) to more deliberate, individuated impressions based on unique personal characteristics, depending on the perceiver's motivation and available information to process about the target person; essentially, the more motivated and attentive someone is, the less they rely on stereotypes and the more they consider individual details.  Continuum Model Cont’d. According to this model, people form impressions of others through a variety of processes that lie on a continuum reflecting the extent to that the perceiver utilizes a target's particular attributes. The continuum implies that the distinctions among these processes are matters of degree, rather than discrete shifts.  Continuum of impression formation processes Perceivers may go through 4 stages of impression formation 1) Initial categorization 2) Confirmatory categorization 3) Recategorization 4) Piecemeal integration Processes mediated by attention and interpretation  Initial Categorization Occurs rapidly when first encounter persons Based on salient features Influences how we think, feel and behave towards person Personal relevance and amount of attentional resources determine if we go beyond initial categorization  Confirmatory Categorization  Use additional info to try to maintain initial categorization Requires perceivers to attend effortfully to stereotype consistent information. May be triggered by threats to self-esteem, defense of ingroup or need to justify power position  Recategorization  An attempt to find a different category that can be interpreted as adequately organizing the bulk of current information  Occurs when initial categorization is faulty/no longer plausible/believeable. Facilitated by: o Weak initial categorization confronted by judgment irrelevant, category irrelevant attributes o Initial categorization confronted by clearly inconsistent attributes  Piecemeal Integration  Most individuating stage of model Integrate attribute by attribute to form overall assessment Initial category becomes just another attribute that contributes to overall impression  Public Expression & Further Assessment  Perceivers express cognitions, affect and behaviour associated with impression formed Takes place at any stage May continue to engage in categorization recategorization process as more info becomes available  Core Premises of Model 1. Perceivers give priority to categorization over individuation. 2. Ease of information fit between category and attributes influences progress along the continuum. 3. Attention to attribute information mediates the use of various impression formation processes 4. Motivational factors influence progress along the impression formation continuum, according to the social interdependence structure and the criteria set by the primary motivating agent 5. Attention to and interpretation of attribute information mediate the motivational influences on impression formation.  Perceivers give priority to categorization over individuation Category-based processes are typically used before attribute-based processes If category-based processes work well enough, we do not engage in additional attribute-oriented processes Category allows us to effortlessly and immediately draw on feelings, thoughts and behaviours associated with category  Ease of information fit between category & attributes influences progress along the continuum How well target’s attributes fit with category determines what end of the continuum perceiver’s make use of When target does not appear to fit category, perceiver is pushed towards more individuating processes beginning with recategorization and moving on to piecemeal integration if necessary Attention to attribute information mediates the use of various impression formation processes In order to engage in more individuating processes, sufficient attentional resources must be available Use of attribute information is dependent on attention allocation  Motivational factors influence progress along the impression formation continuum Outcome dependency motivates us to engage in different types of impression formation processes When we are dependent on others for outcomes, more motivated to engage in individuating processes When we are not dependent on others for outcome, more motivated to engage in category-based processes  Attention to and interpretation of attribute information mediates the motivational influences on impression formation How dependent we are on others for our outcome influence our attention to and interpretation of target info Powerless/dependent persons are more likely to attend to those who control outcome More likely to form non-stereotyped impressions Powerful less likely to attend to others More likely to form stereotypical impressions Dual Process Model :Overview Proposes that impression formation takes place through 2 different processing modes (cognitive processing style to form impression): Top down/category-based processing Bottom up/person-based processing Assumptions of the Dual Process Model Selection of processing mode occurs early in sequence Modes are distinct pathways Each mode will result in different cognitive representations Parallel activation of modes possible BUT each mode still results in different impression Stages of the Dual Process Model Identification Determining Relevance Choice of Mode of Processing Top down processing = categorization Bottom up processing = personalization  Factors Influencing Selection of Processing Mode Affective investment Similarity to target person Relevance of target person to desired goals  Role of Knowledge in Each Mode After mode selected, processing of info is determined by: Knowledge structures accessed Nature of stimulus info Level of perceiver’s effort Category-based processing activates category knowledge and matches stimulus to prior knowledge Person-based processing uses prior knowledge to draw inferences from attributes themselves  Effortful vs. Effortless Processing in Both Processing Modes Effortful and effortless processing can take place in both category-based and person-based processing In category-based processing Effortless processing - reliance on stereotypes Effortful processing - sub-typing person In person-based processing Effortless processing - “halo effect” Effortful processing – integrated, coherent impression Clarifying Misconceptions about Dual Process Model Category-based/Top down and Person-based/bottom up processing is NOT equal to categorization- individuation continuum Model does NOT privilege top-down over bottom up processing Top down processing is NOT the same as heuristic processing Bottom up processing is not the same as elaborated processing