In a third experiment of this same kind another group of twenty-five college seniors, in the same school and during the preceding year, had judged each other, including themselves, for the traits, efficiency, energy, kindliness and originality. The data from this experiment are not given here in full, since the method was precisely that of the two investigations we have just described, and since all of the results must be held as only suggestive of what may be expected to happen in the long run. These seniors also showed a general tendency to rate themselves somewhat higher than they were rated by their associates. The amount of overestimation varied with the trait, all the traits in this case being of the "desirable" sort. Since the conditions of this third experiment were quite the same as those of the investigation just described in greater detail, except that a different group of individuals were concerned, it is perhaps fair to treat the results as comparable, and to include the measures of constant error along with the preceding records. The results from all the groups are included in the following table, which shows the constant tendency in the case of thirteen traits.
CONSTANT TENDENCIES OF SELF-ESTIMATION IN THIRTEEN TRAITS
----------------------------------------------- Trait |Constant|| Trait |Constant | Error || | Error -------------+--------++--------------+-------- Refinement | +6.3 || Neatness | +1.8 Humor | +5.2 || Originality | +1.2 Kindliness | +4.0 || Beauty | +0.2 Energy | +3.8 || Conceit | -1.7 Intelligence | +3.0 || Snobbishness | -2.0 Sociability | +2.2 || Vulgarity | -4.2 Efficiency | +2.1 || | -----------------------------------------------
Data from certain other investigations also tell us something about these tendencies in judging ourselves and others. Thus, in an investigation by the writer,[10] a number of persons were set to work at the continuous performance of a series of mental and physical tests. After each trial the performer was required to judge whether he had done better or worse than usual on this occasion. In each case another person was required to watch the performer, and to judge, in the capacity of witness, whether the performance had been better or worse than usual for the individual who was doing the work.