Perceiving personality through the grapevine: A network approach to reputations.

Reputations are critical in human social life: they allow people to share and act on information about one another, even when have never met. can be conceptualized as a target person that is stored networks of perceivers transmitted through either direct interaction or hearsay. We present novel paradigm integrates the network approach with interpersonal perception research. apply study consensus, accuracy, positivity bias, consequences personality trait hearsay-based reputations. In 2 preregistered studies (N = 260 369), we created naturalistic micronetworks lab which participants interacted got know then later described each other naive third parties. Across studies, use extended Social Accuracy Model (Wessels, Zimmermann, Biesanz, & Leising, 2020) an extension domain-wise correlational (Kenny, 1994). Hearsay-based reputations positively biased They showed strong consensus (agreement) modest suggesting consolidate around inaccurate representation. Perceivers' extraversion was associated more hearsay Experimentally manipulating context exchange had no detectable impact accuracy. Hearsay were consequential, affecting extent thought targets would good leaders friends. These results provide initial insights into reputation suggest several important future directions for also open materials data analysis software others extend reputations-as-networks approach. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).