Individual differences in the accuracy of detecting social covariations: Ecological sensitivity

Ecological sensitivity refers to the ability to detect covariations in the social environment. The goal of this research was to investigate one operational definition of ecological sensitivity, the ability to observe covariations occurring between group membership and particular behaviors exhibited by group members. A 15-excerpt videotape was devised in which such covariations were scripted into the behavior of the people who were interacting. After watching each excerpt, participants were asked to describe up to three behavioral differences they observed between two groups identified on the answer sheet. Higher ecological sensitivity consisted of recalling a larger number of valid covariations. In three studies, with a total of 279 participants, higher ecological sensitivity was associated with (1) being female, (2) another ecological sensitivity task (accuracy of one’s beliefs about the nature of psychological gender differences), (3) more self-reported attunement to social interaction, (4) greater tolerance for ambiguity and openness to experience, (5) more extraversion, and (6) better psychological adjustment. There was no overall association with several measures of general cognitive ability, cognitive style, and ability to decode nonverbal cues.