M. Biernat et al., SIMULTANEOUS ASSIMILATION AND CONTRAST EFFECTS IN JUDGMENTS OF SELF AND OTHERS, Journal of personality and social psychology, 73(2), 1997, pp. 254-269
Judgments of self and referent others tend to be positively related, a
s evident in the false consensus effect, but others may also be contra
sted from the self, as noted in the false uniqueness literature. In 3
studies that examined the domains of attitudes and traits, evidence of
both assimilative and contrastive associations between self- and othe
r-judgments were noted, depending on the form of judgment (objective v
s. subjective) and the relevant judgment scale anchor (self vs. others
). When self-judgments were made first, objective appraisals of refere
nce groups were contrasted from subjective self-appraisals (after cont
rolling for individual differences in participants' behavioral reports
). When judgments of others were made first, objective self-ratings we
re contrasted from subjective other-judgments. Implications for the fa
lse consensus literature and the shifting standards model (M. Biernat,
M. Manis, & T.E. Nelson, 1991) are discussed.