Explain the information integration theory of impression formation, and describe at least two potential ways in which humans deviate from its proposed arithmetic

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Information integration theory suggests that impressions of others are formed by a
combination of the personal disposition or current state of the perceiver and by a
weighted average of the target person's characteristics. It is the integration of these
two sets of factors that produces a unified impression. Because humans are not as
consistent as machines, this "algebra" may have deviations from the simple weighted
average proposed. For example, one perceiver may value intelligence and thus weight
intelligence more heavily in the averaging process than another perceiver. Alternately,
the same perceiver in a good versus bad mood may form a very different impression of
the same target. Even the order in which a perceiver acquires information can
influence how that information is weighted, with first information generally carrying
more weight regardless of the evaluative content of that information. Furthermore,
characteristics of the target may influence the way an impression is formed, as well.
For example, an extraverted target is more likely to be perceived similarly by many
than another sort of trait that is less directly observable. Negative traits tend to
influence the impression formed more than positive traits.