Critically discuss whether first impression based on ‘thin slices of behaviour’ are made intuitively and are accurate. What are the similarities and differences between the ‘thin slice’ approach and Asch’s early work on first impressions?
Intro
Thin slice approach
· Thin slices of behaviour include behaviour that is shown for a short period of time, no more than 5 min.
· They show us info about an individual in respect to their personality and interpersonal relations
· A majority of previous research all has relatively similar findings when it comes to thin slice judgments.
· The findings are that thin slice judgments are an automatic process that occurs without conscious thought= also are intuitive + accurate
Asch’s work on first impressions
· Aims: conducted a series of experiments to investigate how individuals formed impressions
· Conducted experiment to see how individuals formed impressions.
· Series of experiments
· P’s had to form an impression after given a list of traits= had to choose from 18 contrasting trait pairs which one fitted the most with the impression they formed and had to write down
· Found that the trait pair ‘warm-cold’ affected their entire impression of an individual= it not only had an affect on the entire impression, but it also changed the meaning of the other traits alongside it
· Suggest there are central traits determines the meaning of other traits + peripheral traits= some traits are weighted heavier than others= Halo effect
· Also found that there were order effects= gave 2 lists= List A started with positive qualities + List B started with negative= apart from that they were identical
· As expected List A had a more positive impression + B had a more negative impression
· This also revealed a primacy effect where qualities presented first affect the whole of the list and so the overall impression= is this because later info is weighted less?
· Supports Asch: Kelly (1950)
· Tested halo effect further
· Split psychology course in 2= guest lecturer speaks for 20 min
· Before lecture started told student a little about guest
· One group perceived as ‘warm’ + other perceived as ‘cold’
· Guest gave identical lectures to both groups= at end students asked about lecturer + were observed on behaviour towards them
· Warm condition= more positive evaluation + more positive interactive behaviour compared to cold condition
· Supports Asch
Main Body
Supports thin slice judgments: Ambady (2010)
Aims to look at thin slice judgements under diff conditions that involve deliberation
· P’s had to rate 10s clips of teachers using a 7-point scale
· Randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions
· Control= rated each clip
· Cognitive load= performed a cognitive task while watching clips
· Reason analysis task= wrote down reasons for judgments before rating clips
· Delayed rating control= waited a min to write down ratings
· Found that accuracy of judgments was sig worse in reason analysis task compared to control
· Accuracy...
