Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich Main Library Strickhofstrasse 39 CH-8057 Zurich www.zora.uzh.ch Year: 2006 Are we known by the company we keep? Effects of name-dropping on first impressions Lebherz, Carmen Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-163482 Dissertation Published Version Originally published at: Lebherz, Carmen. Are we known by the company we keep? Effects of name-dropping on first impressions. 2006, University of Zurich, Faculty of Arts. ARE WE KNOWN BY THE COMPANY WE KEEP? EFFECTS OF NAME-DROPPING ON FIRST IMPRESSIONS Thesis presented to the Faculty of Arts of the University of Zurich for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Carmen Lebherz of Germany Accepted in the winter semester 2006 on the recommendation of Prof. Dr. Klaus Jonas and Prof. Dr. Carmen Tanner Zürich 2006 Acknowledgments I am grateful to my advisor Klaus Jonas for mentoring all my projects from start to finish. He continuously supported my ideas, read drafts, and generously provided resources. I am grateful to Carmen Tanner for her thoughtful advice and her willingness to share her experience. I have immensely enjoyed working with, and benefited from, my fellow doctoral students Katrin Wodzicki, Michela Schröder-Abé, Bettina Ryf, and Martin Hanselmann. They were always willing to exchange ideas, discuss drafts, provide emotional support, cooperate in sample recruitment, and share resources. Cooperation could hardly be more pleasant. A special thank goes to Barbara Tomljenovic, who excelled as student, research assistant, recruiter, and, finally, colleague. Esther Maier, Olivia Santella, and Stoilka Krasteva were inspiring students. Thanks also to Christian Fichter, Katrin Wodzicki, Martin Hanselmann, Bettina Ryf, Hanno Klemm, André Körner, Jessica Schnelle, and Ulf-Dietrich Reips for their technical expertise and support with audio files, film shootings, and the peculiarities of online research. I was lucky to be surrounded by enthusiastic students who worked as research assistants and interns and thus helped conduct the experiments that culminate in this dissertation: Barbara Tomljenovic, Ruedi Stirnimann, Monika Stoll, Nathalie Schröder, Stoilka Krasteva, Bea Knopf, Olivier Meyenhofer, Jeannette Oostlander, Franziska Luthiger, Caspar Coninx, Silvan Winkler, Ursina Minder, Sandra DePasquale, Christian Schmid, Selina Lauber, Michèle Nägeli, Isabelle Ehlers, Yeshi Ngingthatshang, Julia Stahel, Christine Halder, Amanda Keller, Jana Vontobel, Marija Povilonyte, Rahel Anderegg, Karin Maag, Anita Stalder, Susan van Schie, Olivia Santella, Patrick Meier, Anna Vonhoff, Bettina Keller, Lea Brägger, and Diego Cardenal. Thank you! I appreciate the possibility of conducting experiments at the Psychology Departments of Tuebingen and Heidelberg, Germany. Finally, I am grateful to Hanno Klemm for all his help. Effects of Name-Dropping on First Impressions __________________________________________________________________________ Abstract Five experiments manipulate whether or not a first acquaintance uses name- dropping and measure how name-dropping affects the audience’s impression of that acquaintance. I consider name-dropping a self-presentational tactic by which an actor associates himself positively with another person. The research described in Paper 1 shows positive effects of name-dropping when implemented by a university lecturer: Students who listen to the lecturer find him more competent, in general and with regard to his research abilities, and more likeable as a person. I also show that a minority of students reacts decidedly negatively to the manipulation and that the positive effect increases in the total sample if the negative reaction is controlled for. Thus, a potential for both positive and negative reactions on name-dropping is established. The research described in Paper 2 shows negative effects of name-dropping when implemented by actors who are the study subjects’ equals with regard to status: A student job applicant who mentions former supervisors during the job interview and a student acquaintance who associates him-/herself with tennis world champion Roger Federer both elicit negative reactions. Two variables mediate the effects: If a professor mentions his colleagues’ names during a university lecture, student participants assume that the professor knows the mentioned individuals personally, and rate him more competent. If a student associates himself with Roger Federer, student participants assume that he is manipulative, and like him less. Effects of Name-Dropping on First Impressions __________________________________________________________________________ Zusammenfassung Fünf Experimente manipulieren, ob eine neue Bekanntschaft Name-Dropping einsetzt oder nicht und messen, wie Name-Dropping die Wahrnehmung dieser Bekanntschaft durch das Publikum beeinflusst. Name-Dropping verstehe ich dabei als eine Selbstdarstellungstaktik, bei der sich ein Akteur positiv mit einer anderen Person assoziiert. Die Forschung, die in Paper 1 beschrieben wird, zeigt positive Effekte von Name- Dropping, wenn es von einem Dozenten im Hochschulkontext angewendet wird. Studierende, die dem Dozenten zuhören, beurteilen diesen als allgemein kompetenter, als besseren Forscher, und finden ihn sympathischer. Ich zeige ausserdem, dass ein kleiner Teil der Studierenden entschieden negativ auf die Name- Dropping-Manipulation reagiert und dass die positiven Effekte in der Gesamtstichprobe grösser werden, wenn diese negativen Reaktionen statistisch kontrolliert werden. Name-Dropping hat demnach das Potenzial, sowohl positive als auch negative Reaktionen hervorzurufen. Die Forschung, die in Paper 2 beschrieben wird, zeigt negative Effekte von Name- Dropping, wenn es von einem Akteur eingesetzt wird, der/die den gleichen Status besitzt wie die studentischen Versuchspersonen. Ein studentischer Stellenbewerber, der im Interview Namen früherer Vorgesetzter einfliessen lässt und eine studentische Bekanntschaft, die sich mit Tennis-Champion Roger Federer assoziiert, rufen negative Reaktionen beim Publikum hervor. Zwei Variablen mediieren nachweislich den Effekt: Wenn ein Dozent die Namen seiner Kollegen während einer Vorlesung einfliessen lässt, nehmen die studentischen Versuchspersonen an, dass der Professor diese Personen persönlich kennt, und beurteilen ihn als kompetenter. Wenn sich dagegen ein Studierender mit Roger Federer assoziiert, nehmen die studentischen Versuchspersonen an, dass er manipulativ ist und beurteilen ihn als weniger sympathisch. Effects of Name-Dropping on First Impressions 1 _____________________________________________________________________ 1. Introduction.......................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Person Perception in First Encounters................................................ 7 1.1.1 The Importance of First Encounters ......................................... 7 1.1.2 The Automaticity of First Impressions .................................... 10 1.1.3 The Content Dimensions of Person Judgments....................... 12 1.1.4 Categorical Thinking in First Encounters .............................. 13 1.1.5 Summary.................................................................................. 14 1.2 Impression Management and Impression Formation: The Actor and the Target ................................................................... 15 1.2.1 Impression Management Classification Schemes ................... 15 1.2.2 Actor Abilities and Target Reactions ...................................... 17 1.2.3 Summary.................................................................................. 19 1.3 First Encounters in the Workplace: Target Effects in the Selection Process.................................................................................. 20 1.3.1 Ingratiation vs. Self-Promotion............................................... 20 1.3.2 Impression Management Effects on Liking and Perceived Competence ............................................................................. 21 1.3.3 Beyond First Impressions: Enduring Encounters at the Workplace................................................................................ 23 1.3.4 Adverse Effects of Impression Management ........................... 24 1.3.4.1 Impression Management, Modesty, and “Too Much of a Good Thing”.................................. 24 1.3.4.2 Appropriateness and Transparency of Impression Management Tactics ................................................ 27 1.3.5 Summary.................................................................................. 29 1.4 Name-Dropping as Impression Management ................................... 29 1.4.1 Evidence from Social Psychological Research ....................... 30 1.4.1.1 Actor Goals .............................................................. 30 1.4.1.2 Target Reactions ...................................................... 32 1.4.1.3 Summary................................................................... 34 1.4.2 Evidence from Social Cognition Research.............................. 35 1.4.2.1 Direct Categorization Effects................................... 35 1.4.2.2 Indirect Categorization Effects ................................ 37 1.4.2.2.1 Attitude Activation................................... 37 1.4.2.2.2 Assimilation Effects.................................. 38 1.4.2.2.3 Spontaneous Trait Transferences.............. 39 1.4.2.2.4