Accuracy of Personality Trait Judgments Based on Environmental and Social Media Cues

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the role of physical (e.g., offices, bedrooms) and virtual contexts (e.g., social media such as Facebook and Twitter profiles) on the accuracy of personality judgments. Personality, context, and accuracy are defined, and evidence from studies on trait accuracy are outlined within and across contexts. The availability of cues in online and offline contexts are discussed in terms of Funder’s realistic accuracy model (RAM) and Brunswik’s lens model. In doing so, the chapter provides some insight into the ways various aspects of a context might affect trait accuracy; specifically, it allows us to consider what aspects of a context affect the cues that are available. The literature described in this chapter sheds light on the importance of the physical and virtual contexts in personality judgments. Context has a differential effect on judgment accuracy in terms of the specific trait, or traits, being judged. The literature presented has also highlighted the need for more research on this topic.