Chapter 5 flashcards

Additive Process

A method of impression formation where the perceiver observes particular personality traits and combines them to produce an overall impression of a person.

Configural Model

A method of impression formation where the perceiver views a person as a psychological unity, affecting how individual personality traits are construed.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A phenomenon where an initially inaccurate expectation leads to behaviors that cause that expectation to ultimately come true.

Implicit Personality Theory

A cognitive theory that suggests we use existing schemas about personality traits to form impressions of others, often projecting our own traits onto them.

Big Three

The three initial characteristics—race and ethnicity, age, and sex—that influence first impressions when meeting someone for the first time.

Emblems

Gestures that have a direct linguistic translation to a short phrase or word, such as a thumbs-up.

Illustrators

Gestures that reinforce and express what is being said, such as mimicking the size of an object for emphasis.

Adapters

Behaviors that fulfill a need but are not intended for communication, such as tapping your foot when impatient.

Regulators

Nonverbal cues that guide interactions between people in conversation, like eye contact and gestural prompts.

Emotional Expressions

Facial expressions that convey emotional responses and are universally recognized across cultures.

Covariation

The concept that if one characteristic (A) exists, it is assumed that another characteristic (B) also exists.

First Impressions

The initial judgments made about a person upon first encounter, often based on limited information.

Schemas

Cognitive structures that help organize knowledge and influence how we interpret information about others.

Beautiful is Good Stereotype

The assumption that physically attractive people possess positive personality traits, such as intelligence and kindness.

Personality Traits

Qualities or characteristics that make up an individual's distinct personality, which can influence how others perceive them.

Nonverbal Communication

The transmission of messages or signals through body language, facial expressions, and other forms of communication without words.

Ekman’s Universal Expressions

Six basic emotions—happiness, sadness, anger, disgust, fear, and surprise—that are universally recognized across different cultures.

Darwin's Perspective on Emotions

The idea that emotional expressions are universal and serve important evolutionary functions in social interactions.