Person-perception in adulthood: a categories analysis

Adult age differences in person-perception were examined using a coding scheme developed by Peevers and Secord [1]. Forty individuals from three age groups, mean ages 35.3, 48.8, and 63.1 years, described three people that they knew, one from each of three age groups, thirties, late forties or early fifties, and sixties. Each statement was scored using a four-category system: undifferentiated, simple differentiating, differentiating, and dispositional. A pattern of stability in the degree of differentiation of descriptions emerged, although the older adults did provide more differentiating information than the other two age groups. For females, there were age differences in the proportions of the four categories. The older women used a lower proportion of dispositional statements, and a higher proportion of statements concerning appearance and social roles, than the younger women. The results are discussed in terms of the differences in socialization that might account for the observed pattern of results.