Convergence between self and peer in the response-time processing of trait-relevant information

Research on "self-schemas" has extensively documented the effects of these hypothesized cognitive structures on the processing of self-knowledge, but it has neglected to establish whether these structures correspond to knowledge other persons possess about an individual's personality traits and whether this peer-knowledge is represented by cognitive structures similar to self-schemas. In the present study, "schematic" measures such as response time in self-ratings were compared with traits attributed to participants by well-acquainted peers. Peer-ratings were nearly as accurate as self-ratings in predicting response-time patterns in self-description. Moreover, extreme self-ratings by the target individual were predictive of extreme peer-ratings and quick peer-judgments for the trait in question. This pattern of convergence did not depend on any similarity between the peer's own self-ratings and those of the target. These results indicate that the content and processing characteristics of knowledge structures developed of individuals by well-acquainted peers are remarkably similar to the content and properties of the individual's own self-schemas.