Understanding Implicit Personality Theory: How Our Beliefs Shape Our Perception of Others
Have you ever been convinced that someone is arrogant, lazy, or disrespectful without really knowing them? It’s likely that you were influenced by your implicit personality theory (IPT).
IPT refers to the set of beliefs and assumptions that we hold about people. We rely on these beliefs to make sense of the social world and to form judgments about others. Though we are not always aware of it, our IPT can heavily shape our perceptions and contribute to our behavior towards others.
Exploring IPT can give us insight into how and why we form opinions about people pre-maturely and how we can prevent negative stereotypes from being applied to a person.
The Basics of Implicit Personality Theory
IPT is developed over time through socialization, cultural influences, and past experiences. It applies mainly in social situations and helps us to quickly make judgments about people. For example, if John is always on time and meets his deadlines before the due date, you may have developed an IPT that John is a hardworking and diligent person. Therefore, you may expect the same behavior from him in the future.
However, if you see John being tardy once or twice, your IPT may quickly evolve, and you may change your opinion about his nature. Hence, IPT is not always accurate since it is predisposed to incorporate new knowledge and feedback from our surroundings.
Understanding the Impacts of IPT
IPT has a great impact on how we perceive and interact with our surroundings. For example, IPT can lead us to stereotype others according to environmental characteristics, ethnic parity, shape, or size. These stereotypical beliefs can contribute to damaging relationships and personal values.
IPT also lays the groundwork for groupthink – a psychological phenomenon in which members of a particular social group strive for unanimity in the decisions of the group in every situation. In fact, groupthink is often considered a negative effect of IPT, because lack of individual thought in this type of scenario can lead to irrational decision-making.
On the other hand, positive IPT usage can lead to what we call ‘haloing’ which is when one trait or characteristic of a person influences our overall perception towards them. A person may be assumed to be more honest, kind, or intelligent than they actually are if they possess some desirable trait that we hold in high esteem.
How to Work Against Negative IPT
The first step to breaking harmful IPT is to become aware of your beliefs and assumptions about people. Reflect on your previous biases, and identify which of your beliefs about people will need modification.
Another way to work against negative IPT is to seek out new experiences and correct your pre-conceived notions. Expose yourself to different ethnicities, cultures, and age groups to better understand people with different upbringings and temperaments. You’ll adopt a more open-minded approach to others who differ from you once you increase your exposure.
Finally, an open mind and willingness to change are essential to counter negative IPT. Instead of holding on to stereotypes and preconceived notions, remind yourself to pause and think before you draw a conclusion about someone. Engage with others to understand them and overview your parameters of interaction from a new perspective.
Conclusion
IPT is a natural psychological phenomenon, but one that can have negative impacts if not acknowledged and addressed. Beliefs about people affect not only our behavior, but also how we interpret and stereotype others, even leading to groupthink. By reflecting on our thoughts, seeking out new experiences, and striving for an open mind, we can work to counteract negative IPT and create a more positive and accepting worldview.
