The Validity of Meta-Perceptions as a Measure of Personality

Abstract

The current investigation examined whether meta-perceptions provide information about personality that self-perceptions alone do not provide as well as whether meta-perceptions are more accurate predictors of personality than are self-perceptions. Self- and meta-perceptions of seven core personality traits were measured (i.e., the big five personality traits, intelligence, and physical attractiveness) among five, demographically diverse samples. Five personality accuracy criteria were also assessed, which included cognitive ability tests, everyday behavior (i.e., audible behavior and word use), people's reputation for engaging in various behaviors, self-reported life events, and life outcomes. Results suggested that, for most criteria and traits, self- and meta-perceptions were equally informative and valid predictors of accuracy criteria. The strongest support for the hypothesis that meta-perceptions are better measures of personality than are self-perceptions was observed for reputation for behavior and for everyday behavior. Also, the traits that showed the strongest support for the hypothesis that meta-perceptions are better measures of personality than are self-perceptions were extraversion and attractiveness, and to some extent, intelligent. The implications of these results for self-knowledge and personality assessment are discussed.

Committee Chair

Simine Vazire

Committee Members

Rebecca Hollander-Blumoff, Cindy Cryder, Joshua Jackson, Thomas F Oltmanns, Michael J Strube

Comments

Permanent URL: https://doi.org/10.7936/K7QN64P6

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Author's Department

Psychology

Author's School

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Document Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2013

Language

English (en)

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS