Measuring Person Perception Accuracy: Another Look at Self-Other Agreement

Abstract

The analysis of self-other data for the study of person perception accuracy is illustrated and discussed. Length of acquaintance, length of cohabitation, and trait empathy were investigated for their moderating effects on person perception accuracy, defined as the level of self-other agreement. Self-other agreement was computed four ways. A trait-by-trait analysis was performed twice, first using the moderator variable to form subgroups from which self-other correlations within each trait were computed and then using the moderator as a continuous variable in a series of moderated multiple regressions. Next, a profile analysis was performed that isolated two accuracy components, implicit profile accuracy and ideographic accuracy, which were conceptually similar to Cronbach's stereotype accuracy and differential accuracy components. The analyses, taken together, provided a componential and informative (if not comprehensive) analysis regarding accuracy as it is manifest in self-peer agreement data. Sex and cohabitation length moderated accuracy whereas acquaintance length and trait empathy did not.

Testing discrepancy effects: A critique, a suggestion, and an illustration

“…In other words, Gage and Cronbach's critique makes both difference scores and interaction effects difficult to interpret. For remedial procedures that yield more exact measures of self-other (and by extension self-self) agreement, see Bernieri, Zuckerman, Koestner, and Rosenthal, 1994. Even when interaction tests are appropriate, they do have their own share of problems. Given the importance attributed here to the distinction between main effects and interaction, investigators must be cautious about any transformation (e.g., log transformation) that may change the balance between the two.…”

On the accuracy of personality judgment: A realistic approach.

“…One reason may be that early studies were plagued by methodological and analytic shortcomings, of the sort identified by Cronbach (1955), that have only recently begun to be rectified (Bernieri, Zuckerman, Koestner, & Rosenthal, 1994;Funder & West, 1993a). Another reason may be that extensive data about the personalities or abilities of the informants who provide personality judgments have been obtained only rarely.…”

Why are moderators of self-other agreement difficult to establish?

“…Although acquaintance length increases accuracy in personality judgment, there is evidence that familiarity may also have a negative effect on self-other agreement (Kenny & West, 2010). The effect of length of acquaintance is neither very consistent nor large (Bernieri, Zuckerman, Koestner, & Rosenthal, 1994;Biesanz, West, & Millevoi, 2007;Gnambs, 2013;Kenny, 2004;Kurtz & Sherker, 2003;Story, 2003). This means that observing the target acting in hundreds or even thousands of similar situations improves judgement accuracy only marginally (Kenny, 2004).…”