Year: 1988 Source: Journal of Applied Social Psychology, v.18, no.7, pt.1, (June 1988), p.597-605 SIEC No: 19990067

False consensus effect (FCE) states that people view their own characteristics as common; those that are different are deviant. To test the FCE, 135 students assessed their levels of intelligence & psychological disturbance, then read a fictitious newspaper article about a youth who committed suicide or received an honor. Subjects who viewed themselves as intelligent viewed others in the same way, & disturbed subjects viewed others as disturbed. Partial support for the FCE was found. (23 refs.)