The Effect of Experience: A Matter of Salience?

A labeling technique was employed to explore processes underlying the effects of experience. It was found that labeled individuals both behaved and perceived themselves in a manner consistent with their label. However, these effects were mediated by the consistency of the label with the individual's initial self-schema and the availability of other relevant cues. The findings are interpreted in terms of an extended self-perception explanation that incorporates the notion of cue salience.