Information as a Moderator of Accuracy in Personality Judgment

Abstract

People inherently believe that additional information is helpful in making accurate personality judgment, an assertion supported by empirical evidence. This chapter reviews the evidence beginning with the cross-sectional and longitudinal study of accuracy in naturally existing groups and continuing through to laboratory-based experiments involving the intentional manipulation of available information. In doing so, it discusses the process of becoming acquainted with others in our social world and makes suggestions for future avenues of research in this area, including but not limited to more clearly defining acquaintanceship, studying information quantity and quality jointly and separately, and better connecting personality judgment with real-world phenomena.