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Different I's of Different Beholders: Self-Monitoring and the Categorization of Self And Others
by Kenneth Weadick, Randall E. Osborne*, James Penticuff, Jason Young, and Joseph Norman - Indiana University East (Weadick, Osborne, Penticuff, Norman); Hunter College, CUNY (Young)
Category: Social
Four studies examined differences between high and low self-monitors in terms of the processing of self-relevant information, categories of descriptors used to describe self and others, and basic information processing strategies. Results revealed high self-monitors use more physical appearance and social relationship adjectives to describe themselves (Study 1) and their best friends (Study 2), whereas low self-monitors utilize significantly more trait adjectives. Results from Studies 3 and 4 suggest high and low self-monitors show this same divergent use of categories and information processing strategies when recalling information about a new acquaintance and processing auditory information. The implications of these findings for the social information processing and behavioral choices of high and low self-monitors are discussed.