Search results

Abstract
Forming an impression of another person is an essential aspect of human social cognition linked to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) function in adults. The current study examined the neurodevelopmental origins of impression formation by testing the hypothesis that infants rely on processes localized in mPFC when forming impressions about individuals who appear friendly or threatening. Infants' brain responses were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy while watching 4 different face identities displaying either smiles or frowns directed toward or away from them (N = 77). This was followed by a looking preference test for these face identities (now displaying a neutral expression) using eyetracking. Our results show that infants' mPFC responses distinguish between smiling and frowning faces when directed at them and that these responses predicted their subsequent person preferences. This suggests that the mPFC is involved in impression formation in human infants, attesting to the early ontogenetic emergence of brain systems supporting person perception and adaptive behavior.

Research into the changes in construing associated with impression formation has focussed on the content of the cognitive dimensions used. Such an approach has ignored the structural organization of such cognitive dimensions. This study used the repertory grid to explore the structural
correlates o/the impression formation process. Forty nine first year university students completed repertory grids based upon well known and newly met acquaintances. Consistent with theoretical expectation, newly met acquaintances were construed with more construct independence, less construct
integration, and less meaningfulness than persons who had been known for a longer period of time. Upon retesting 10 weeks later, newly met acquaintances were seen in a more meaningful and integrated manner. Additionally, it was found that subjects had difficulties in applying constructs elicited
around well known persons to newly met acquaintances. The implications of these findings for the study of impression formation and repertory grid methodology are discussed.

Television viewers, journalists & social influence analysts often use the term "television character" or "media-savvy person" when referring to people (also to politicians) who draw the viewers' attention & interest (Reeves, Naas, 2000). The purpose of the research presented herein is to answer two questions: (1) what are the differences in social perception of five main personality dimensions ("the Big Five"; agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, & openness to experience [intellect]) of media-savvy politicians & those considered to belong to the non-media-savvy type; & (2) how traits attributed to media-savvy & media-un-savvy politicians remain connected with the viewers' political self-identification. A hundred journalism students, using an adjective list for "the Big Five" diagnosis (five dimensions of personality), were to identify their political beliefs as right wing, mixed, or left wing & to describe a politician they considered to be the most media-savvy & the least media-savvy person. Results indicate that media-savvy politicians are perceived to be more extrovert (dynamic), more open to experience, & more conscientious than their media-un-savvy counterparts; participants' (viewers') political beliefs reflect the importance of openness & conciliation in perception of media-savvy & non-media-savvy politicians. 3 Tables, 2 Figures, 42 References. Adapted from the source document. COPIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM: HAWORTH DOCUMENT DELIVERY CENTER, The Haworth Press, Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580

Personal construct integrative complexity (I-C) refers to the assimilation of complex information into a system of impressions. Consistent with Kelly's (1955) theory of personal constructs, Chambers (1983; 1985) found I-C subjects tended to use a credulous approach to life and
were better at resolving conflicting information in forming impressions. In similar research, Crockett et al. (1975) showed a measure of cognitive complexity (C-C) interacted with a credulous cognitive set to be predictive of conflict resolution. In the present study, I-C and C-C are compared,
in interaction with cognitive set, as predictors of conflict resolution.

This study offers the first investigation on the normative processes through which Chinese form impressions of others in social interaction. Using affect control theory and its archived sentiment data from China, I estimate the Chinese impression formation models with a new Bayesian method. I then compare the Chinese models to the impression formation dynamics in U.S. English. Results show cross-cultural commonality in the affective processing of cultural concepts, with determinants of impression formation processes being largely universal. Findings also reveal two cultural variations that align with patterns uncovered by comparative cross-cultural research: (1) the Chinese models show less rigidity in the definition of situation and (2) across two cultural models, the balance term has opposite effects on actor and behavior evaluation. To explore the implications of the impression models, I present a series of simulations, illustrating the predictive power of affect control theory as well as the impact of different cultural rules on social interaction.

"Presenting diverse perspectives from eminent scholars and contemporary researchers, The Handbook of Impression Formation contextualizes current and future areas of research in the social psychology of impression formation within a rich historic framework. Affirming that impression formation is at the core of human experience, chapters explore how and why people form snap judgments about others and when those impressions update. They examine the processes through which people infer the reasons for the events they encounter, allowing people to plan for appropriate behavioral responses to social contexts. The research reviewed is informed by the foundational theory of unconscious automatic processes involved in making judgements of other people, pioneered by Professor Jim Uleman who contributes a chapter that suggests important new directions, and concludes the volume by reflecting on the state of the field more broadly. The book explores how certain attributes stimulate categorization, examining current issues around implicit bias, stereotypes, and social media. Chapters cover a range of approaches, featuring personal narratives, presentation of new data and discoveries, comprehensive literature reviews, and contemplations on where the field must go and what questions require focus for progress to be made, calling for even the most advanced scholars to contribute more to the collective investigation of impression formation. This fascinating work provides a solid foundation from which all researchers can build a new and unique program of research, and arms the reader with the intellectual tools they need to chart new theoretical territory and discover aspects of the human experience we have yet to even wonder about. It is essential reading for students and academics in social psychology, and the social sciences more broadly"--

The attention to the presented research topic is based on the growing dominance of the individual's needs in getting an impression in all sectors of the economy and, especially, in the hospitality industry. However, the absence of a developed discourse on this problem emphasizes the existence of a real contradiction between the theoretical understanding of the problem and a person's growing interest in satisfying his emotional needs. In this regard, the subject of analysis in this context is the peculiarities of perception as a psychological phenomenon of consumers of the hospitality industry. The goal is an unconditional requirement to reveal the instrumental significance of impressions in the development of the competitive ability of the hospitality industry as one of the flagships of the domestic economy. The methodological resource should include a number of methods used, such as analytical, descriptive, the method of gestalt psychology, instrumental, in general, which allowed reconstructing the ways of creating and managing the impression of individuals. The source material used in the article can be conditionally differentiated in two directions: psychological and material on the economics of impressions. Of particular importance for the realization of the goals were the works described below, relating to the analysis of open and closed gestalt images, as well as to the description of the features of self-expression and self-presentation of the individual, her interest in the game as one of the ways of life. It can be considered a new promising scientific direction with multidimensional aspects of impression economics. This direction should include the monographs "The Economy of Impressions" by authors Pine and Gilmort, the work of A. Slivotsky "Migration of values", the article by V. Pekar "Introduction to the economy of Impressions", etc. In the context, the emphasis is placed on the statement of the emergence of a new value, which is the impression, prevailing in the scientific body of literature on a tourist destination. This statement, from the point of view of the authors, is debatable. The argumentation given here against this statement, of course, cannot be assessed as absolute truth, but only as the initial moment of scientific controversy. The article presents psychological techniques, the use of which can greatly increase the interest of individuals in obtaining new impressions by an individual in a tourist destination. The practical value consists in demonstrating techniques, the creative understanding of which can enable the hospitality industry to increase its economic status.