David A. Kenny
April 19, 1998



Assimilation reflects the extent to which a perceiver rates targets in the same way; using the Social Relations Model, assimilation is assessed by the degree of perceiver variance. In essence, the question concerns whether the perceiver sees the targets the same or more colloquially does the perceiver think that the "targets all look alike." Note that if all of the perceivers see the targets in the same way, there is not assimilation. Assimilation requires that one perceiver see the targets in one way and another perceiver see the targets in another way. Finally, note that assimilation refers to the targets also. So if the judgments are same sexed, the degree of assimilation refers to same-sex partners. Different results might be obtained for opposite-sex partners.


The central question is the meaning of assimilation. Does it merely reflect how people use numbers to make ratings or does it measure how the perceiver really views others? If it is meaningful, does assimilation reflect how the person generally sees others or does it reflect the perception of members of the particular group being rated? Restated, does the perceiver effect reflect a perceiver's view of human nature, or does it reflect a local stereotype? The use of the term "stereotype" can be confusing. Assimilation reflects the perceiver's personal stereotype, not a shared cultural stereotype.  So if the cultural stereotype is that professors are absent minded, the personal stereotype would reflect the degree to which a perceiver endorses that stereotype.

Additional issues concern the following: Do people assimilate more when they evaluate in-group members (i.e., groups that the person is a member of) than when they rate members of out-groups (i.e., groups that the person is not a member of)? Additionally, does assimilation weaken as the person better knows the target?


Assimilation appears not to totally reflect the way in which persons use numbers. Assimilation declines with increasing acquaintance, but assimilation effects persist even when perceivers are well-acquainted with the targets. Given assumed similarity (perceivers think others are similar to them), the self likely serves as a basis for creating assimilation, at least for the perception of ingroup members.


Is the perceiver effect related to gender? Do women see others more favorably than do men? Lynn Winquist, Cynthia Mohr, and I have evidence that the answer to this question is yes. The effect is not strong, but it is pervasive. Unfortunately, there is not much current work studying assimilation. However, it provides the investigator with a window of the perceiver's view of human nature.


Chapter 3 of Interpersonal Perception: A Social Relations Analysis

Winquist, L. A., Mohr, C. D., & Kenny, D. A. (1998). The female positivity effect in the perception of others. Journal of Research of Personality, in press.

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