Are Descriptions of the Self more Complex than Descriptions of Others?
Five studies compared the complexity of explicit semantic knowledge of self and others. In Study 1, students rated targets on unipolar and bipolar trait scales. In Study 2, they used trait checklists to describe targets in various roles. Study 3 replicated Study 2 except participants generated a unique set of roles for each target. In Studies 4 and 5, judges coded the complexity of openended descriptions of each target. Self-other differences in complexity were found in both directions and depended on such factors as the valence of the descriptors and the closeness of the target. For example, compared to self-descriptions, descriptions of disliked others contained fewer roles and more negative traits, whereas descriptions of liked others (although generally similar to the self) contained fewer negative traits and more roles. Overall, the results contradict the common belief that people think more complexly about the self than others.