Stereotypes

Question 1

What are stereotypes?

Answer 1

APA = generalised beliefs about or expectation from members of a group

The cognitive component of attitudes towards a social group, beliefs abt what a particular group is like.

Question 2

Are stereotype, prejudice + discrimination interchangeable?

Answer 2

No

Question 3

How does prejudice and discrimination compare to stereotype?

Answer 3

Prejudice = affective (feeling).

Discrimination = bhvrl (action) component of attitude

Question 4

How do we form and use stereotypes?

Answer 4

Schemas = cognitive frameworks of info (Fiske & Taylor, 2008)

Schemas used bc categorising = efficient + least cognitive effort ‘cognitive misers’

Motivational purpose = feel positive abt group identity vs other social groups (Social Identity Theory; Tajfel & Turner, 1986). Stereotype other people negatively + boost self-esteem

Question 5

What does Bodenhausen (1990) show about stereotyping?

Answer 5

Ps = shown info from legal trial (designed to draw on stereotypes suggesting defendants guilt, objectively info is ambiguous) - judge, are they guilty or not?

In the study, Ps = morning/ evening people (pre-tested) + some are tested at convenient/ inconvenient times of day

Lab question = does this effect on other they rely on stereotypes of not

Question 6

What were the results of Bodenhausen (1990)?

Answer 6

fall into stereotypes when we don’t have cognitive energy to dispense = practical implications

Question 7

How are stereotypes structured?

Answer 7

Early approaches = stereotyping is descriptive
Recent = identify stereotypic dimensions

Question 8

What is the stereotype content model?

Answer 8

Fisk et al. (2002) = stereotypes about most groups contain 2 underlying dimensions:

Competence = relies on status perceived in society
Warmth = relies on competition

When you stereotype neg. one side, you stereotype pos. in the other dimension e.g high status, but cold and calculate

Where groups fall = how we treat members of this group:
Envy, admiration, contempt, paternalism

Question 9

What are the benefits of ‘pos.’ stereotypes?

Answer 9

Detsch et al. (1987) = asked Ps (male vs female) to rate how warm, happy carefree + relaxed a no. of people based on a verbal description w/:
3 conditions = no pic, smiling pic, non-smiling pic

Results:
- Smiling pic = men + women had higher scores
- Non-smiling men = reduces evaluations for males
- Non-smiling women = significantly more evaluated neg. in all dimensions compared to non-smiling men + no pic in women

Gender differences, disconfirms the stereotypes of women + being punished which is reflected when men don’t have this problem.

Question 10

How do stereotypes influence cognitive processing?

Answer 10

1. Where we direct attention (e.g., Cohen, 1981) = attend to stereotype-consistent information
2. How we interpret information (e.g., Darley & Gross 1983) = Interpret ambiguous information w/ stereotypes. Girl answering exam, evaluated it higher in a wealthy setting. Ps asked how well the girl did.
3. What we remember (e.g., Snyder & Uranowitz, 1978) = Recall more stereotype-consistent information, forget challenges
4. How we gather information (e.g., Snyder & Swann, 1978) = Ask questions to confirm our beliefs

Affects every aspect of our cognitive processing.

Question 11

How do stereotypes influence how we gather information?

Answer 11

Snyder & Swann (1987)

P ‘interviewers’ = led to believe interviewee was either introvert/ extrovert

Ps selected Qs from prepared list + chose Qs to confirm their expectations (hypothesis) e.g leading questions ‘ what do you dislike about parties’

Question 12

How are stereotypes transmitted?

Answer 12

Lyons & Kashima (2001) = examined the transmission of stereotypes in communication chains.

Australian sample.

Do Chinese Whispers = stereotype consistent info (drinks beers, goes to parties + gets angry) and stereotype inconsistent (listens to classical music, buys flowers)

Results = inconsistent info. disappears quickly but, consistent intact.

Question 13

Why does stereotype transmission occur?

Answer 13

Cogni. processes = remember stereotype-consistent info

Social proc. = want to establish common ground w/ others. Signal we’re on the same page.

Question 14

Is how you communicate stereotypes important?

Answer 14

What + how is important

Question 15

What is the linguistic category model and the four levels of abstraction?

Answer 15

Semin & Fiedler (1988)

Descriptive action verb (DAV) = “Beavis hit Butthead
Interpretative action verb (IAV) = “Beavis hurt Butthead”
State verb (SV) = “Beavis hates Butthead”
Adjective (Adj) = “Beavis is aggressive”

It goes from specific to abstract

Question 16

What is Linguistic intergroup bias?

Answer 16

Maas et al. (1989) = examined how language abstraction used to describe in-group + out-group members can transmit + sustain stereotypes

Conducted in Ferrara, Italy = strong identification w/ horse racing teams + horse racing competition

Ps = supporters of competing teams

Task = describe cartoons = 4 options:
- Desirable + undesirable actions
- Ingroup/ outgroup actors shown
- drugged, damaged, detests, unfair

Question 17

What are the results of Maas et al. (1989) in showing linguistic intergroup bias?

Answer 17

If my ingroup member did something = increase desirable abstract language e.g drugging a horse

if outgroup member did something = increase undesirable abstract language e.g being a fraud

This is important = bc people make different inferences/ conclusions from the discussions.

Question 18

What are the consequences of LIB?

Answer 18

Maas et al. (1989, study 3)

Ps = read descriptions of bhvrs generated in Study 1 (w/out seeing cartoons). Asked, ‘how much info does the phrase reveal abt the protagonist? How likely will the action happen again?’

Results = increased level of abstraction causes the Ps to say…
1. more informative about the actor
2. more likely to be repeated

Question 19

How does language abstraction grow stereotypes?

Answer 19

Pos. in-group + neg. outgroup action –> abstract language = high dispositional inference - bhvr seen as typical + repetitive (enduring)

Neg. in-group + pos. outgroup action –> concrete language = low

Applied to members of a group repeatedly = leads to stereotyping

Question 20

What does it feel like to be stereotyped?

Answer 20

historically = focus stereotyper

shift in research = stereotyped

Because stereotypes are a shared, cultural phenomenon, the targets of stereotypes are often aware of how they are seen

Question 21

What is stereotype threat?

Answer 21

Happens when when people fear = judgment based on neg. stereotyped social identity + may inadvertently act in some
way to confirm a negative stereotype of their group (Logel
et al., 2009; Steele, 1997; Steele, Spencer, & Aronson,
2002).

Awareness that one’s group is neg. stereotyped situations = lead to concerns about whether they will judged against those standards:
* Women and maths
* Some ethnic minorities and academic performance
* Straight men and emotionality
* Social class and intelligence testing

Question 22

How does Steel & Aronson (1995) support stereotype threat?

Answer 22

Examined performance on intellectual ability test among Black and White Ps w/ ethnicity made salient/ not

Salient ethnicity condition = ask Ps for demographic info immediately before taking verbal ability test. Non-salient condition = demographic info wasn’t collected.

Results = when Ps reminded on their ethnicity was reminded, affected the results on intellectual test (e.g black people in race) vs (no race, black people did better than white people).

Question 23

What did Steel & Aronson conclude from their study (1995)?

Answer 23

Drop in performance = reminded abt neg. stereotypes
Worried about how they will perform = retention is taken away from the study.

Question 24

How does Spencer et al. (1999) support stereotype threat?

Answer 24

Male + female Ps, uni students = same math ability (e.g., completed calculus course at B grade or higher, self-reported being good at math).

Conditions = told gender-difference, no-gender-difference

Ps = take a math test that was either described as being
diagnostic of gender differences in math.
* Study 2 – 30 women, 24 men
* Study 3 – 36 women, 31 men

Results = women did worse than mean even though non-closure condition they did similar.

Question 25

What is the process of stereotype threat?

Answer 25

Schmader et al. (2008) = neg. stereo. activation leads to drop in performance + relevant taks

Different processes causing stereotype activation + drop in performance:
1. Physical Stress = hinders brain’s ability to function
2. Self-monitoring = checking performance, away from task
3. Thought suppression = effort to ignore neg. thoughts abt group

Question 26

Can stereotypes be counter-measured?

Answer 26

Can be prevented through…

Affirming self = ask indvdl to write their strengths/ values

Distancing from aspects of the stereotype that are incompatible w/ high performance = not dependent on neg. stereotypes

Transforming neg. aspects into pos. = switch it around.

Question 27

Can stereotype threat be counter-measured?

Answer 27

Aronson et al. (2002) = aimed to counter the effects of stereotype threat on African American college students’ performance in academic tests.

Ps = Stanford undergraduates, 42 Black, 37 White

Method = Intervention focused on conceptions of intelligence as malleable (”growth mindset”) or fixed (”fixed mindset”)

Three conditions = Pen Pal – Growth Mindset, Pen Pal – Control, No Pen Pal - Control

Question 28

What were the results of Aronson et al. (2002)?

Answer 28

Experimental condition:
- STM + LTM, agree ability can be expanded
- Reported academic study was more important for them
- Enjoyed academic more
- No changes in perceived stereotype threat
- GPA increased = gives resilience

Question 29

What are the applications of Aronson et al. (2002)

Answer 29

Assessment
Ways to promote pos. elements of self-identity/ social identity

Question 30

What are the applications of Aronson et al. (2002)

Answer 30

Assessment
Ways to promote pos. elements of self-identity/ social identity