A Multidimensional Scaling Study Of Person Perception In Children

Anglo and Black children at two age levels and of both sexes judged the similarity of twelve stimulus persons, using a proximity setting technique. The stimuli consisted of cardboard caricatures of individuals representing the roles of policemen, male and female teachers, parents, male and female peers, and self. Where appropriate, stimuli of both Black and Anglo races were present. The judgments were used as inputs for an individual difference multidimensional scaling program. The resultant dimensions of social perception were interpreted as racial identification, sex, and age. Some differences in perception between subjects were obtained. Implications of the present investigation for future research were discussed.