Chapter 4 Flashcards
stereotype knowledge
the extent to which a person is familiar with the content of a stereotype.
Stereotype endorsement,
in contrast, is the extent to which someone personally believes that the societal stereotype of a group accurately describes the members of the group
stereotype activation,
the extent to which a stereotype comes to mind.
First, theorists and researchers generally see stereotype activation as a four-step process: Specifically, they assume that:
An observer notices characteristics of a person (such as body shape or facial features) that indicate the person’s membership in a social category (such as Asian woman).
The observer categorizes the person on the basis of those characteristics.
This categorization activates the stereotype associated with the category.
The stereotype is applied unless the person is both motivated and able to inhibit the stereotype. p 145
some people are generally motivated to see themselves as better than others whereas other people are not; in this case, self-enhancement is an
individual difference variable.
comprehension goals
People with comprehension goals are looking to make the world more predictable, which, in turn, contributes to them feeling secure: Being able to deduce other people’s characteristics on the basis of their group membership helps them understand how those people are likely to react to events.
cognitive busyness and stereotypes
Cognitive busyness inhibits stereotype activation but, once a stereotype has been activated, cognitive busyness facilitates stereotype application.- good pic on p 162
Unfortunately, thought suppression can be a double-edged sword
Although it is effective while a person is focusing on avoiding an unwanted thought, the thought can return in greater strength after the person stops trying to suppress it
Although people know the stereotypes associated with groups in their culture, they may or may not personally endorse them. Prejudiced people are more likely to
personally endorse stereotypes than are non-prejudiced people
Stereotype activation occurs spontaneously after categorization because associations between categories and stereotypes are well learned and therefore strong. Nonetheless, a number of factors can influence the activation process.
The context in which activation occurs may favor one stereotypic subcategory over another. More prejudiced people show stronger stereotype activation for groups they are prejudiced against, probably because the category–stereotype link is stronger for them. Finally, cognitive busyness can disrupt stereotype activation by using up people’s working-memory capacity.
People’s motives, needs, and goals also influence stereotype activation. People with comprehension goals want to understand others and stereotypes can be a guide in that endeavor. However, when people are motivated to be especially accurate, they rely less on stereotypes. Self-enhancement goals lead some people, but not others, to
see themselves as better than others. However, situational factors can call up self-enhancement goals for everyone. For example, people respond to negative feedback by stereotyping the person who delivered that feedback; this form of self-enhancement provides an excuse for ignoring others’ criticism
The desire to appear to be unprejudiced can inhibit stereotype activation; however, neuroimaging studies show that
unprejudiced people are best able to inhibit stereotype activation if they are personally motivated to be unprejudiced, rather than concerned that others will see them in that light. For some people the desire to be unprejudiced is a chronic egalitarian goal—that is, it is always in place regardless of the context.
Before a perceiver applies a stereotype to a person, three processes must occur: The perceiver must categorize the person as a member of a stereotyped group, the group stereotype must be activated, and the group stereotype must be applied to the person. If categorization does not occur, activation cannot occur; and if activation does not occur, application cannot occur. An activated stereotype will be applied unless
the person is both motivated and able to inhibit stereotyping. People are generally motivated to form accurate impressions of others and so generally seek out individuating information about them. However, stereotypes may be relied on even when some individuating information is present, and stereotypes can affect how people interpret individuating information.
People high in need for cognition tend to use stereotypes less than other people whereas people high in the need for closure tend to use
stereotypes more. Self-enhancement goals affect stereotype application in the same way they affect stereotype activation. That is, they may lead people to view others in terms of negative stereotypes when those others threaten their self-images. In contrast, reinforcing people’s positive self-images can reduce stereotype application.
People who hold power over others are generally not motivated to individuate subordinates. They sometimes justify this because
they believe the power differentials reflect differences in ability. Power holders tend to use stereotypes the most when the stereotypes are relevant to the decisions they have to make and tend to use stereotypes the least when other motives, such as responsibility for subordinates, are salient.
