Normative and Distinctive Accuracy in Situation Perceptions

Abstract

To what extent do people achieve accuracy in judging others’ situations? Based on interpersonal perception models, we propose that ex situ raters may attain accuracy by judging the psychological characteristics of a situation that in situ raters have experienced according to a normative and distinctive characteristics profile. Biesanz’ social accuracy model (SAM) provides a flexible crossed-effects random coefficient modeling framework that can be applied to situation perception data. By targeting characteristics profiles with the analytical unit of the ex situ rater-situation dyad, the extent of and variation in normative and distinctive accuracy of ex situ raters can be estimated and explained by personality correlates to quantify “the good ex situ rater.” We demonstrate an SAM approach to situational accuracy with real in situ and ex situ data (402 ex situ raters judged 10 situations on 8 characteristics) and sketch future research.