Individual differences in positive and negative interpretive biases

Abstract Student subjects were given the task of writing down the spellings of a series of words (many of them homophones) presented auditorily. Some of the homophones had a negative and neutral interpretation, whereas others had a positive and neutral interpretation. Subjects low in trait anxiety (high extraversion, low neuroticism) produced more positive homophone interpretations than did those low in positive affectivity; this constitutes a positive interpretive bias. Subjects very high in negative affectivity (in terms of trait anxiety) produced more negative homophone interpretations than did those lower in trait anxiety; this constitutes a negative interpretive bias. Theoretical implications of these biases were discussed.