Reducing Prejudice: Stereotype Control Flashcards
Are we cognitive misers or motivated tacticians?
We can overcome our stereotypes if: we have lots of rich information that challenge that stereotype, have the cognitive resources to attend to that information, and have motivation that want to form other opinion. Not cognitive misers, do move up and down dimension due to the situation.
What did Fiske and Neuberg (1987) find?
Demonstrated can shift people away from stereotype to accurate impression by: placing ppts in position when told the task is dependent on them working well with the other person (outcome dependency), bribing participant to be accurate, telling would have to defend judgement of stereotype (accountability). These 3 strategies are successful. Increase the cost of being wrong.
What is a definition of the motivated tactician?
Challenge idea of cognitive miser - can choose to engage if there is a demand for it. These are externally induced - we do it because the circumstance demands for it.
What did Devine (1989) suggest?
Argues not just external motivations that encourage us not to use stereotypes, but many are self-motivated. Basic distinction is difference between knowing what a stereotype is and endorsing it to be true or accurate. Says when encounter members of stereotype groups, stereotype is automatically activated, but this does not mean it will change behaviour (won’t all consciously inhibit stereotype).
What did Devine use to back up her claims?
Ppts asked to list stereotypes of blacks. Completed Modern Racism Scale. Found didn’t matter whether people were high or low on racism scale, produced similar stereotype list. In another study, used priming technique - 80% of words were stereotypic of African Americans, or only 20% were. Then read a paragraph about a man called Donald, ambiguous about whether he was being aggressive or assertive, and then judge what kind of person Donald was. Ppts who had stronger priming judged Donald as more aggressive. Activated concept of hostility. This was found in high and low prejudice people.
In another study, asked high and low prejudice people about their thoughts to the social group Black Americans. Low prej were more positive, high prej were more negative.
What did Kawakami et al (2000) find?
Is it possible to break down automatic associations? When see consistent word with the person click ‘yes’, when inconsistent click ‘no’ - this broke down automatic associations: shows it is possible to do this.
What are the costs of stereotype suppression?
Rebound effects (Wegner, 1992) - model of what happens when we try not to think of something. When suppress a thought, is intentional process that drives thought from consciousness. This is combined with the automatic process monitors - check not thinking about it. Once stop actively driving thought, it comes back strongly.
What is evidence for rebound effects (Wegner)
White bears study. Got ppts to come in, and left in room with tape recorder. Half asked to think about white bears, others asked not to think about white bears. Had to think thoughts aloud - if thought about white bears, had to ring bears. Then switched (rebound affect). The ones who had first been suppressing, ring bell a lot more than in first condition.
What did Macrae and Bodenhausen (1994) find about stereotype suppression?
Ppts asked to write a paragraph about a skinhead. Half asked not to use stereotype, other half given no instructions. Ppts told not to used stereotypes used significantly less than control. In passage two used significantly more, as suppressed in the first one.
Is rebound inevitable? (Monteith)
No - perhaps due to social groups used in studies. Used groups people didn’t mind having stereotypes about. Depends on group type and personal attitudes. Rebound is less likely when people are motivated to reject the stereotype or there are strong social norms that indicate stereotypes are not acceptable.
What is evidence for Monteith’s work?
Monteith, Spicer and Tooman (1998). Ppts pre-tested using homophobia scale. Pick photo out, write paragraph about gay couple. Told to avoid stereotypes vs. given no instructions. Then given memory test - including some associated with gay stereotype. Those low in prejudice showed not stereotype, those high remembered stereotypical words.
What is stereotype disconfirmation?
Can we do something about the content of the stereotype so they are more accurate. Can be difficult - getting past confirmation biases.
What models did Weber and Crocker (1983) suggest about stereotype change?
- Bookkeeping model - idea adjust stereotype to account for information coming in.
- Conversion model - abandon stereotype and start again, radical change in thinking.
- Sub-typing model - may have a stereotype in general, and then different sub-types involved in this.
Found which model applied depends on the information - concentrated or dispersed information.
Is sub-typing good or bad in producing stereotyping?
Putting people into sub-types may mean that whole stereotype may disintegrate and not be used anymore. More thoughtful - thinking about them a bit more. However, sub-types allows many more exceptions which may strengthen the overall stereotype. In addition, it limits generalisation of attitude change to the stereotype.
