by Emily Balcetis (Editor), Gordon B. Moskowitz (Editor)
Presenting diverse perspectives from eminent scholars and contemporary researchers, The Handbook of Impression Formation
contextualizes current and future areas of research in the social
psychology of impression formation within a rich historic framework.
Affirming
that impression formation is at the core of human experience, chapters
explore how and why people form snap judgments about others and when
those impressions update. They examine the processes through which
people infer the reasons for the events they encounter, allowing people
to plan for appropriate behavioral responses to social contexts. The
research reviewed is informed by the foundational theory of unconscious
automatic processes involved in making judgements of other people,
pioneered by Professor Jim Uleman who contributes a chapter that
suggests important new directions, and concludes the volume by
reflecting on the state of the field more broadly. The book explores how
certain attributes stimulate categorization, examining current issues
around implicit bias, stereotypes, and social media. Chapters cover a
range of approaches, featuring personal narratives, presentation of new
data and discoveries, comprehensive literature reviews, and
contemplations on where the field must go and what questions require
focus for progress to be made, calling for even the most advanced
scholars to contribute more to the collective investigation of
impression formation.
This fascinating work provides a
solid foundation from which all researchers can build a new and unique
program of research, and arms the reader with the intellectual tools
they need to chart new theoretical territory and discover aspects of the
human experience we have yet to even wonder about. It is essential
reading for students and academics in social psychology, and the social
sciences more broadly.
