Cross-cultural consensus in personality judgments

J Pers Soc Psychol. 1997 Mar;72(3):558-69. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.72.3.558.

Abstract

Building on recent research demonstrating consensus and accuracy in interpersonal perception based on minimal information, the present studies examined American and Chinese participants' within- and cross-cultural judgments. In Study 1, the authors used the zero-acquaintance paradigm in the People's Republic of China and found consensus on all personality dimensions. In Study 2, Chinese and American participants judged each other on the basis of photographs, and consensus was found among Americans' judgments of Chinese and Chinese participants' judgments of Americans. Further, by correlating target effects based on within-culture zero-acquaintance judgments and cross-cultural photographic judgments, the authors found agreement in the judgments of individuals by members of their own culture and the other culture for both Chinese and Americans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • China
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison
  • Culture*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Judgment*
  • Male
  • Personality*
  • Random Allocation
  • United States