Stylistic components of human judgment: The generality of individual differences.

Abstract

In an effort to discover the generality of individual differences in judgmental processes, 12 potential styles were assessed from the predictions made by 86 judges across two or four replications of each of four judgmental tasks. The analyses focused on the internal consistency (across replications, within occasions), temporal stability (across occasions, within tasks), and intertask congruence of each of the judgmental variables. The findings suggested that five variables—linear predictability, judgmental consistency, subjective complexity, differentiation, and confidence—have sufficiem generality to assume the provisional status of judgmental styles. Highly significant relationships were found, for male though not for female judges, between each of the provisional styles and a number of personological and demographic variables, including scales from the MMPI, CPI, EPPS, and SVIB.