THE CROSS-MODAL CONSISTENCY OF PERSONALITY - INFERRING STRANGERS TRAITS FROM VISUAL OR ACOUSTIC INFORMATION

This study investigated the cross-modal consistency of personality expression. Targets were videotaped while entering a room, walking around a table toward a chair, sitting down, and reading a standard text. Judges who had never seen the targets before were then presented: (a) the complete information (sound-film condition), (b) videotapes with the sound turned off (silent film condition), (c) stills of the targets (still condition), or (d) an audiotape of the targets' utterances (audiotape condition). The judges rated 45 physical attributes and 20 personality traits of each target. The judges in the silent film and the audiotape condition agreed substantially concerning the extraversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and culture of the targets, even if target age and sex were statistically controlled. This points to some cross-modal consistency of personality expression. Various co-occurrences between visible and audible attributes were found, accordingly. © 1992.