Positive-negative asymmetry in mental state inference: Replication and extension

Our previous study (Ito & Ikegami, in press) hypothesized and confirmed that people would predominantly draw corresponding mental state inference (i.e., inferring mental states correspondent with behaviors in terms of evaluative connotations) from undesirable behavior, whereas they draw not just correspondent but non-correspondent mental state inference as well for desirable behavior. That study, however, used hypothetical behavioral events. Our present study examined whether this asymmetrical inference is evident in the case of inference from real-life behavioral episodes. Participants were asked to remember desirable and undesirable behavior performed by other persons, and to infer the actors' mental states from their behaviors. The results supported the hypothesis, indicating that, while people's inclinations to infer correspondent mental states from both behaviors were potent, inference of non-correspondent mental states from desirable behaviors were more frequent than inference from undesirable behaviors. The results also provided insight into the process of idea generation in mental state inference.