7.2 Brunswikian Lens Model

I used the Brunswikian Lens Model to assess the personality of someone (who I’ll call R) through their Facebook profile. The Brunswikian model suggests the concepts of cue validity and cue utilization. Cue validity indicates the accuracy of a cue in describing a person. Cue utilization refers to the process of an observer using a cue for impression formation. When combined, cue utilization and cue validity enable functional achievement – that is, an accurate impression of the person in question.

R appears to put forth an accurate self-description in his Facebook profile, at least insofar as I know him personally. I can use these cues to form an impression of the type of person he is. Since both cue validity and cue utilization is present, I have attained functional achievement in assessing R’s character.

The Brunswikian Lens Model also covers interactions between the individual and the environment. In particular, cues can be classified as either identity claims or behavioral residue. Identity claims are cues issued verbally by the impression manager, whereas behavioral residue describes cues left in the environment by the impression manager’s behavior/actions. Identity claims are either self- or other-directed. Self-directed identity claims are statements you make for your own benefit. Other-directed claims are statements you make to others in order to let them know how you want to be regarded. Behavioral residue is either interior or exterior, indicating whether the “residue” cues indicate behavior performed inside or outside of the current environment, respectively.

The main self-directed identity claim featured on R’s facebook profile is the multitude of VT-tragedy related Facebook groups joined. Two of the VT victims were alumni from his high school, so he has boosted the prominence of his high school on his Facebook profile to remind himself of the community he is a part of. Most of the rest of the items are other-directed identity claims: favorite quotes, past job experience, favorite music, movies, etc. These are mostly put up for curious outsiders to examine, so that they obtain a certain impression of R. R produces quite a lot of interior behavioral residue, for he is almost always somewhere on my news feed, no matter when I happen to be perusing it. The fact that he has a lot of posts on his wall also seems to imply that he makes many wall posts (through reciprocity). Lastly, his profile also yields a lot of exterior behavioral residue, with numerous tagged photos. He also announces his intent to participate in on-campus events through the Facebook “Events” application.

Based on the Five Factor Model and R’s Facebook profile only, I would consider R an open, extraverted, agreeable, and conscientious person. This is derived largely from his liking for travel, sense of humor, and selection of favorite music and movies. His profile shows no signs of any significant neuroticism.

I did notice that most of the posts on R’s wall are friendly and agreeable in nature. This may have led to the assimilation context effect, where I judged R as being more agreeable simply because his friends all seemed to be.

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