Author(s)

Miranda Giorgashvili

School of Humanitarian and Social Science, Tbilisi Open University, Tbilisi, Georgia.

The study aims to explore the dominance of stereotypic thinking in the process of social information processing. It tests one of the assumptions of Parallel Constraint Satisfaction Theory regarding the order of provided information. It is hypothesized that dominance of either type of processing (stereotypic or individuating) depends on the primacy of provided social information. In the experiment, each participant (N = 144) was randomly assigned to either of the condition, where one was presented with one and the same stereotypic (categorical) and individuating (counter stereotypic behavioral) information about one and the same person, provided into a certain order. Based on the level of p < 0.05, comparison of impressions received in different order conditions (category primacy vs. behavior primacy) revealed that the first impressions followed the effect of primacy. This effect appeared to be consistent in the impressions of both observed targets (Doctor and IT). Hypothesis about the importance of order and primacy in social perception has been proved, but hypothesis about averaging impression in the condition of the information being provided together was not proved. The study shows that order of provided information determines whether target instantly stereotypically categorizes others or focuses more on their behavior and makes individualistic impression of them.

Information Processing, Stereotypes, Categorization, Individuation, First Impression, Connectionist Network

Giorgashvili, M. (2021) Influence of the Order of Provided Information on the First Impression. Psychology, 12, 1799-1824. doi: 10.4236/psych.2021.1211109.