The effect of accuracy motivation on face function in person perception

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of accuracy motivation and face attractiveness on person perception. Sixty-two female undergraduate and professional school students perticipated in an experiment. Half of them were motivated to form accurate impression by experimental manipulations of accountability (expecting to describe their impression later to a third party). After studying behavioral descriptions and photograph of target, they were asked to form impression and recall the descriptions. Main results were as follows: (1) On social desirability, accuracy motivation redused the effect of positive face. (2) Accuracy motivation induced subjects to recall more behavioral descriptions.