Jessica recently joined a new company and was first introduced to Michelle, her cubicle neighbor. Michelle came across as amiable and cheerful. During lunch she met another colleague, Carrie, who did not come across as friendly as Michelle. In this situation, Jessica's interpretation of Carrie's personality is most likely to be affected by a ________.
A) fundamental attribution error
B) self-serving bias
C) contrast effect
D) confirmation bias
E) bandwagon effect

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The contrast effect refers to the tendency to evaluate someone's characteristics, such as personality traits, based on comparisons with others who are encountered immediately before or after them. In this case, Jessica's interpretation of Carrie's personality is likely to be affected by the contrast between Carrie's demeanor and the friendly, amiable behavior of Michelle. The other options, such as fundamental attribution error, self-serving bias, confirmation bias, and bandwagon effect, do not directly address the impact of comparisons with others on personality judgments.

Jessica Recently Joined a New Company and Was First Introduced