Exploring the acquaintanceship effect for the accuracy of judgments of traits and profiles of adult playfulness

• Published in: Journal of personality Vol. 92; no. 2; pp. 495 - 514
• Main Authors: Brauer, Kay, Sendatzki, Rebekka, Proyer, René T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-04-2024
• Subjects: Accuracy; Acquaintances; Acquaintanceship; adult playfulness; Friendship; interpersonal perception; Measurement; OLIW; personality judgments; Playfulness; Relatives; self–other agreement; Social perception; Social relations; Visibility; adult playfulness; interpersonal perception; self-other agreement; OLIW; personality judgments
• ISSN: 0022-3506; 1467-6494
• DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12839

Objective
We aimed to extend the research on the interpersonal perception of adult playfulness (global and facets: Other‐directed, Lighthearted, Intellectual, and Whimsical [OLIW]) by testing whether judgmental accuracy relates to indicators of acquaintanceship.
Background
Playfulness has been found to contribute to social relationships.
Method
Using data from 658 dyads (1,318 participants) who had been acquainted for 1 month to 62.2 years, we computed measurement invariance analyses and self–other agreement (SOA) for the facets and profiles of playfulness. We operationalized acquaintanceship as length of acquaintanceship, relationship type (friends, family, and partners), and intensity of acquaintanceship. We tested acquaintanceship effects with multigroup latent analyses and response surface analyses.
Results
Self‐ and other ratings of playfulness showed scalar measurement invariance and robust SOA in traits and distinctive profiles (≥ .37). There was only minor evidence for acquaintanceship effects for relationship duration (only Intellectual playfulness), and group comparisons showed that friends yielded lower SOA in profiles than dyads of family members and couples.
Conclusion
Considering that playfulness can be accurately perceived even at zero acquaintance, we discuss whether playfulness is a “good trait” (high trait visibility) in which acquaintanceship plays a minor role. We also discuss methodological considerations for detecting acquaintanceship effects during relationship formation.