The effects of information and exposure on self-other agreement

The primary aims of this study were to examine the effects of exposure and information on self-other agreement among strangers. To test the effect of exposure, we observed the difference between perceptions of individuals who viewed a still photo of a target person versus individuals who watched a short video segment of the target. To test the effect of information, we provided trait-implying sentences to participants and compared the resulting perceptions to those derived from only a still photo. We found that self-other agreement fluctuates predictably with additional information and exposure. Also, we found that providing specific trait information can increase self-other agreement for both the specific trait about which information has been received and other linked trait judgments. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.