Leonard L. Martin - Böcker

In the context of interpersonal interaction, it is possible to characterize human beings as complex sources of information. When interacting with one another, people in­ tentionally, as well as unintentionally, emit cues which other people can use as a basis for generating inferences and forming impressions about them. As a rule, the informa­ tion that one receives about another person is complex, mutable, and multidimensional. Often, it is contradictory. One of the more enduring lines of investigation in social psychology has been concerned with understanding the processes whereby people mold such diverse information into a single, unified impression. The linear approach The most influential approach to this issue in recent years has been Anderson's information integration theory (e. g. , Anderson, 1974). The goal of this approach to im­ pression formation is the formulation of an algebraic model which describes the relation between stimulus input charac­ teristics and reported judgments. According to information integration theory, a stimulus is characterized hy two parameters: scale value and weight. The scale value of a stimulus represents the perceiver's subjective response to the information on the dimension of judgment (e. g. , good-bad, light-heavy, like-dislike). The weight of a stimulus is its importance or relevance to the judgment. It is perhaps best conceptualized as the proportion that each element of a compound stimulus contributes to the overall evaluation of the compound.

Researchers have been addressing social judgment from a cognitive perspective for more than 15 years. Within recent years, however, it has become increasingly clear that many of the models and assumptions initially adopted are in need of revision. The chapters in this volume point out where the original models and assumptions have fallen short, and suggest directions for future research and theorizing. The contributors address issues related to judgment, memory, affect, attitudes, and self-perception. In addition, many present theoretical frameworks within which these different issues can be integrated. As such, this volume represents the transition from one era of social cognition research to the next.

Recently, research on the ways in which goals, affect, and self-regulation influence one another has enjoyed an upsurge. New findings are being published and new theories are being developed to integrate these findings. This volume reports on the latest of this work, including a substantial amount of data and theory that has not yet been published. Emanating from a conference exploring affect as both a cause and effect in various social contexts, this book examines some of the complex and reciprocal relationships among goals, self structures, feelings, thoughts, and behavior. The chapters address: *the effects of intrinsic versus extrinsic goals;*the different effects of approach versus avoidance goals;*the role of awareness in goal pursuit and affective states;*the meaning of affective states in relation to goal attainment;*the impact of hedonistic concerns as motivational factors;*how people regulate their moods; and*the role of the self in affective experiences.

Recently, research on the ways in which goals, affect, and self-regulation influence one another has enjoyed an upsurge. New findings are being published and new theories are being developed to integrate these findings. This volume reports on the latest of this work, including a substantial amount of data and theory that has not yet been published. Emanating from a conference exploring affect as both a cause and effect in various social contexts, this book examines some of the complex and reciprocal relationships among goals, self structures, feelings, thoughts, and behavior. The chapters address: *the effects of intrinsic versus extrinsic goals;*the different effects of approach versus avoidance goals;*the role of awareness in goal pursuit and affective states;*the meaning of affective states in relation to goal attainment;*the impact of hedonistic concerns as motivational factors;*how people regulate their moods; and*the role of the self in affective experiences.

Approaching the topic from a social psychological viewpoint, this book provides a forum for some currently active theorists to provide concise descriptions of their models in a way that addresses four of the most central issues in the field: How does affect influence memory, judgment, information processing, and creativity? Each presentation includes a concise description of the theory's underlying assumptions, an application of these assumptions to the four central issues, and some answers to questions posed by the other theorists. Thus, in one volume, the reader is presented with a single authoritative source for current theories of affect and information processing and is given a chance to "listen in" on a conversation among the theorists in the form of questions and answers related to each theory. Students and researchers alike will benefit from the clarity and brevity of this volume.

Approaching the topic from a social psychological viewpoint, this book provides a forum for some currently active theorists to provide concise descriptions of their models in a way that addresses four of the most central issues in the field: How does affect influence memory, judgment, information processing, and creativity? Each presentation includes a concise description of the theory's underlying assumptions, an application of these assumptions to the four central issues, and some answers to questions posed by the other theorists. Thus, in one volume, the reader is presented with a single authoritative source for current theories of affect and information processing and is given a chance to "listen in" on a conversation among the theorists in the form of questions and answers related to each theory. Students and researchers alike will benefit from the clarity and brevity of this volume.