Cognitive representation of personality impressions: Organizational processes in first impression formation.

In three experiments subjects given either impression formation or memory task instructions read a series of behavior descriptions that either did or did not contain a highly distinctive item. In each study subjects given impression formation instructions recalled significantly more items than did subjects in the memory condition. Subjects given impression formation instructions were more likely to recall a distinctive item, but presence of a distinctive item in the stimulus list had little effect on recall of the other items. Results are discussed in terms of the organization of information acquired during the process of impression development.