Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2025
07:34
Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues
Published on: June 3, 2013
17.4K
Give Me a Straight Answer: Response Ambiguity Diminishes Likability
1James Cook University, Singapore.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|September 22, 2023
Summary
Providing ambiguous answers in social situations makes people less likable, as ambiguity can signal dishonesty or disinterest. However, ambiguity may be accepted when softening sensitive information.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Language Psychology
Background:
- Impression formation relies on interpreting social cues, including communication style.
- Response ambiguity in social interactions is a common phenomenon with unclear effects on likability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how response ambiguity influences likability and personality perceptions.
- To identify contextual factors that moderate the effects of response ambiguity.
Main Methods:
- Nine experiments (eight preregistered) with Western and Asian participants.
- Participants evaluated individuals based on their responses to social questions in various scenarios.
Main Results:
- Ambiguous responses generally decreased likability, perceived as dishonesty or social disinterest.
- Ambiguity was tolerated when "softening the blow" for sensitive questions.
- Ambiguous responders were perceived as less warm, extraverted, and gullible, but more cautious.
Conclusions:
- Response ambiguity significantly impacts social perception, generally negatively affecting likability and personality judgments.
- Context is crucial; ambiguity is not always detrimental, particularly in sensitive social exchanges.
- Findings have implications for understanding impression management and formation in social psychology.
Related Concept Videos
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
5.2K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
5.2K
01:14Fundamental Attribution Error
12.9K
According to some social psychologists, people tend to overemphasize internal factors as explanations—or attributions—for the behavior of other people. They tend to assume that the behavior of another person is a trait of that person, and to underestimate the power of the situation on the behavior of others. They tend to fail to recognize when the behavior of another is due to situational variables, and thus to the person’s state. This erroneous assumption is...
12.9K
00:56Attribution Theory
13.0K
Behavior is a product of both the situation (e.g., cultural influences, social roles, and the presence of bystanders) and of the person (e.g., personality characteristics). Subfields of psychology tend to focus on one influence or behavior over others. Situationism is the view that our behavior and actions are determined by our immediate environment and surroundings. In contrast, dispositionism holds that our behavior is determined by internal factors (Heider, 1958).
13.0K
02:16Stereotype Content Model
14.7K
The Stereotype Content Model (SCM) was first proposed by Susan Fiske and her colleagues (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick & Xu, 2002; see also Fiske, 2012 and Fiske, 2017). The SCM specifies that when someone encounters a new group, they will stereotype them based on two metrics: warmth—or that group’s perceived intent, and how likely they are to provide help or inflict harm—and competence—or their ability to carry out that objective. Depending on the warmth-competence...
14.7K
01:13Nonconscious Mimicry
4.6K
Nonconscious mimicry occurs when individuals alter their mannerisms to match the behaviors and expressions of those nearby, without intention.
4.6K
01:38Cognitive Dissonance
32.7K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
32.7K