INTERVIEW: Sarah Lamer

Question 1

What was her study on?

Answer 1

Transmission of non verbal bias and the effects it has on kids

Question 2

What research questions guide her research?

Answer 2

How people form stereotypes

(Shared environments for cultural groups can let ppl have similar beliefs)

Question 3

Where did her research originate from?

Answer 3

See if previous research on adults with non verbal behaviour would extend to gender stereotypically, and how children learn

Want to see how children learn stereotypes (they latch onto their gender identity)

Question 4

Why is it so important to focus on peoples knowledge on the existence of stereotypes vs personal endorcement?

Answer 4

Wanted to use norms because past work on non verbal bias tied with perceived norms.

*** Norms are very important when acting automatically (when on autopilot)
- When you don’t know how to act, you default to norms
- So norms shape ppls beliefs

Question 5

What was the process behind study 1?

Answer 5

Quantified what kinds of characters kids are usually seeing, and how they are treated depending on stereo-typicality

Ex. common tropes in kids shows (girls girl, tom boy, nerd etc)
Unique way to study culture and cultural influence (mapping gender stereotypically and how it influences non verbal behaviour)

Question 6

How did study 1 function (Scooby Doo)

Answer 6

How other characters in the show treat the target characters (based on gender stereo-typicality)

Ex. scooby do
- Daphne and Fred = Gender typical
- Velma and Shaggy = Gender counter stereotypical
- Selected clips of scooby doo (cut out one character)
- And looked at how other characters treat the cut out character based on gender atypicality

Question 7

What was the medium?

Answer 7

Cartoon and live action

Found they tested the same

Question 8

Is there a future direction she is going?

Answer 8

Might extend this across race (gender stereo-typicality and their race)

Look for what else may add to it (ex. if you identify with character, etc)

Question 9

Is this effect changing over time (over decades of film)?

Answer 9

It may vary along this, and also cross culturally

TV has taken a turn since streaming services (many diff shows, and ppl have more control over what they watch)

Question 10

Is there a topic social psyc should pay attention to?

Answer 10

Map on effects that can happen VS what effects that DO happen

Finding ways to understand what’s shaping ppls beliefs (can causing change)