This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Locke, K. D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Locke, K. D. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Are Descriptions of the Self more Complex than Descriptions of Others?

University of Idaho, klocke{at}uidaho.edu

Five studies compared the complexity of explicit semantic knowledge of self and others. In Study 1, students rated targets on unipolar and bipolar trait scales. In Study 2, they used trait checklists to describe targets in various roles. Study 3 replicated Study 2 except participants generated a unique set of roles for each target. In Studies 4 and 5, judges coded the complexity of openended descriptions of each target. Self-other differences in complexity were found in both directions and depended on such factors as the valence of the descriptors and the closeness of the target. For example, compared to self-descriptions, descriptions of disliked others contained fewer roles and more negative traits, whereas descriptions of liked others (although generally similar to the self) contained fewer negative traits and more roles. Overall, the results contradict the common belief that people think more complexly about the self than others.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. D. Locke H as a Measure of Complexity of Social Information Processing Personality and Social Psychology Review, August 1, 2003; 7(3): 268 - 280. [Abstract] [PDF]