Here's looking at you, kid: multi-method perspectives in person perception

Abstract

<p>The purpose of this study was twofold: to examine the comparison of self and other ratings on a self-report personality rating scale, and to compare the self-report ratings with scores obtained on a standardized personality inventory. Following the reasoning of recent trait theorists, it was hypothesized that the typical low predictiveness of self-report ratings could be enhanced by using "rational" moderators as anchors to aid subjects in their ratings;Ratings on 15 bipolar dimensions were obtained from 222 subjects, their parents, and peers. In responding, subjects and their evaluators determined trait rankings, the subjects' most consistent traits, and observability as well as variability ratings for each dimension. Subjects then responded to the Jackson Personality Inventory, a standardized personality measure from which the adjectives for the self-report inventory were drawn;Correlational analyses supported the hypothesis in part: for all traits averaged together, there was increased predictiveness over unmoderated correlations for self and peer (but not parent) ratings when consistency and observability modifiers were added. When traits were examined independently, the presence of the moderator variables increased predictiveness for some traits and decreased it for others. There were no sex differences in the overall comparisons, although trait-by-trait comparisons showed males as more accurate than females in assessing observable traits;In the ratings-standardized inventory comparisons, the highest correlations were obtained between self ratings and inventory scores. The addition of moderator variables increased overall predictability and, consistent with ratings comparisons alone, influenced scales differentially. The application of multivariate procedures showed a highly significant overlap between ratings and inventory scores;The results of this study lend support to the theory that idiographic anchors can improve the predictiveness of trait ratings. They illustrate a strong relationship among the various rating sources, and establish an impressive strength of association between self-report ratings and a statistically sound personality inventory.</p>