Perceived Behavioral Consistency Underlying Trait Attributions to Oneself and Another

Abstract

This psychometric study was designed to investigate the hypothesis that people perceive themselves as more variable than others, even when they judge themselves and the other person identically on a trait-rating scale. Using one of two different types of rating formats, subjects described themselves and a person of the same sex and approximate age whom they knew well and liked. Both persons were rated on each of6O trait-descriptive adjectives, with a scale ranging from -3 to +3, plus four middle response options (average, depends on the situation, don't know, term unclear). After each of their trait ratings, subjects assessed the consistency of the person's behaviors associated with that trait. Analyses revealed a highly uniform pattern of self/other differences in the predicted direction: For 72% of the 60 traits, the majority of the subjects described themselves as more variable than the other person.