1393: Redefining Perspectives: New Directions on (Mis) Perceptions in Interpersonal Interactions (13943)

Organizer(s)

• ET

  Elizabeth Trinh

  U. of Michigan, Ross School of Business, United States

Participant(s)

• AB

  Alison Brooks

  Harvard U., United States
• MN

  Michael Norton

  Harvard U., United States

Presenter(s)

• SA

  Stav Atir

  U. of Wisconsin-Madison, United States

Participant(s)

• NE

  Nick Epley

  U. of Chicago Booth School of business

Organizer(s)

• KS

  Kendall Smith

  London Business School, United Kingdom

Discussant(s)

• NK

  Nadav Klein

  INSEAD, France

Presenter(s)

• NF

  Naomi Fa-Kaji

  U. of Virginia, United States

Participant(s)

• NB

  N. Derek Brown

  Columbia Business School, United States
• AM

  Aastha Mittal

  Columbia Business School
• DC

  Daniel Cable

  London Business School, United Kingdom

Presenter(s)

• OS

  Ovul Sezer

  Cornell U., United States

Participant(s)

• EP

  Emily Prinsloo

  Harvard Business School

In our daily lives, we are constantly presented with opportunities to interact with others, both in professional and personal contexts. Yet, the perceptions and interpretations we hold in these interactions are often clouded by biases and misunderstandings, leading to significant social (mis)perceptions. This symposium brings together five compelling papers that explore different aspects of social (mis)perception in various contexts. The first presentation delves into the misperceptions between majority and minority group members regarding reactions to societal inequity, highlighting the tendency of individuals to misinterpret the emotions and attitudes of outgroups. The second presentation examines how people often overestimate the level of awkwardness in anticipated social situations; this miscalibration can lead to altered behaviors and missed opportunities. The third presentation draws from NYT’s “Questions to Fall In Love” in a work setting to investigate the outcomes of such deep, personal conversations among coworkers. The fourth presentation addresses the consequences of backhanded compliments, a common yet poorly understood occurrence in social interactions. The final presentation explores how individuals revise their beliefs about conversations after they occur, particularly correcting their underestimation of positive aspects and overestimation of negative aspects. Together, these papers not only expand our understanding of social (mis)perceptions but also provide critical theoretical and practical insight. The findings and discussions underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing these perceptual disparities, therefore improving communication and enhancing interpersonal and intergroup relations.

Presentations:

• 11:30 – 13:00 CT (GMT-5/UTC-5)

  1393: How Angry Are You About Societal Inequity? People Overestimate Minority Groups’ and Underestimate Majority Groups' Anger Toward Inequity (13943)
  

  Author: Naomi Fa-Kaji – U. of Virginia

  Author: N. Derek Brown – Columbia Business School

  Author: Aastha Mittal – Columbia Business School
• 11:30 – 13:00 CT (GMT-5/UTC-5)

  1393: Expecting the Worst: How We Miscalculate Social Awkwardness (13943)
  

  Author: Elizabeth Nguyen Trinh – U. of Michigan, Ross School of Business

  Author: Nadav Klein – INSEAD
• 11:30 – 13:00 CT (GMT-5/UTC-5)

  1393: When Compliments Become Comparisons: The Psychology of Backhanded Compliments (13943)
  

  Author: Ovul Sezer – Cornell U.

  Author: Emily Prinsloo – Harvard Business School

  Author: Michael Norton – Harvard U.

  Author: Alison Wood Brooks – Harvard U.
• 11:30 – 13:00 CT (GMT-5/UTC-5)

  1393: Nothing Personal? Exploring the Impact of Self-Disclosure in Leader-Member Relationships (13943)
  

  Author: Kendall Smith – London Business School

  Author: Daniel M. Cable – London Business School
• 11:30 – 13:00 CT (GMT-5/UTC-5)

  1393: Failing to Generalize Keeps People Overly Pessimistic About Talking to Strangers (13943)
  

  Author: Stav Atir – U. of Wisconsin-Madison

  Author: Nick Epley – U. of Chicago Booth School of business