Stereotype Activation and Application

Chapter 4 Prepared by S. Saterfield From The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination, Whitley and Kite, 2006 s.saterfield, 2006 1

Stereotype Activation/Application

Categorization

•How do stereotypes lead to outcomes of discrimination? •What factors are involve?

s.saterfield, 2006 2

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Knowledge

—

the extent to which a person is familiar with the content of a stereotype. –wide spread in a society, and –prejudiced and unprejudiced people know the content of stereotypes.

s.saterfield, 2006 3

Person

Stereotype Activation/Application Babysitter Student athlete Math whiz Retired Person Rap singer Millionaire Welfare Recipient Probable Stereotypic Social Group

• Young White Female • Black Male • Young Asian Male • Older Male • Black Male • White Male • Black Female s.saterfield, 2006 4

Stereotype Activation/Application

What Characteristics fit the “typical” member of that social group?

What does this suggest about how readily stereotypes are activated and applied?

If depictions do not fit the stereotype, what factors such as motivation to inhibit stereotyping, affect your responses?

s.saterfield, 2006 5

Stereotype Activation/Application STEREOTYPE KNOWLEDGE

STEROTYPE ENDORESEMENT STEREOTYPE ACTIVIATION CATEORIZATION STEREOTYPE APPLICATION s.saterfield, 2006 6

Stereotype Activation/Application

–

Stereotype Knowledge

—extent to which a person is familiar with the content of a stereotype.

–

Stereotype Endorsement —

extent to which a person actually agrees with the social stereotype of a group –

Stereotype Activation

—extent to which a stereotype is accessible in one’s mind –

Categorization

— a persons observable characteristics –

Stereotype application

—extent to which one uses a stereotype to judge a member of the stereotyped group s.saterfield, 2006 7

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotypes are most likely activated and applied to strangers and others whom people do not know very well .

 Better ones know other people, view them in terms of unique characteristics than in terms of stereotypes associated with social group  When people interact with others there behavior is driven by goals to be achieved and needs to be fulfilled  Motivational factors inhibit effects of stereotypes and lead people to see others as individuals.

s.saterfield, 2006 8

Stereotype Activation/Application

Categorization

—first step in the stereotype application process People classify others into three basic social categories  gender  race  age s.saterfield, 2006 9

Stereotype Activation/Application

Categorization

People can be placed into more than one category First category noticed is race, followed by gender (i.e. Black women) Most make use of all three categories (i.e. middle aged white women) Subcategories —Young

(more available for activation of stereotypes)

s.saterfield, 2006 10

Stereotype Activation/Application

Categorization

— Prototypicality

A person is prototypical of a social category to extent that he/she fits observer’s concept of the essential features characteristic of that category

African —dark brown skin, dark eyes, tightly curled black hair, broad nose & full lips European —light colored skin, light or dark eyes, straight or loosely curled hair (dark/light), narrow nose, thin lips

s.saterfield, 2006 11

Stereotype Activation/Application

Categorization

— Situational Influences

Situational factors (cues) can intervene in categorization process to emphasize one category over another

Subcategories using basic social categories such as occupation (i.e. Businesswomen) Attention to given to the category in which the person differs from others A person behavior to one category over another

s.saterfield, 2006 12

Stereotype Activation/Application

Categorization

— Prejudice

Racially prejudice people tend to pay more attention to race than other characteristics

Prejudice people are biased in the categorizations they make Highly ethnocentric people tend to overclassify others as members of the outgroup and the phenomenon Ingroup overexclusion Accuracy of classification of members of ingroup or outgroup members (p. 118) (i.e. Box 4.1 “Please Ask Me Who, Not “What”, I Am)

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Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Activation

Dormant stereotype becomes active, capable of influencing a person’s thoughts about and behavior toward a ember of the stereotyped group.

s.saterfield, 2006 14

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Activation

Two types: Automatic processing —triggered by observing stimuli associated with stereotyped group Motivated processing —rooted in people’s goals and needs and activated when stereotype can fulfill goals and needs.

Must be relevant to the situation s.saterfield, 2006 15

Stereotype Activation

Personal and situational influences Categorization of a person as a member of a stereotyped groups Automatic processes influenced by:

•

Prototypicality of stimulus

•

Context effects

•

Prejudice

•

Cognitive busyness

• • • •

Motivated processes: Comprehension Self-enhancement Social adjustment Avoiding prejudice Is the stereotype relevant to the Motivational process(es) that Are operating?

Individual Difference Situational factors Predictions Stereotype activation

s.saterfield, 2006 16

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Activation

Automatic processing —occurs without effort or conscious thought Subliminal cures can activate stereotypes Cultural environments establish strong links between a category and stereotypes associated with the category. s.saterfield, 2006 17

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Activation--Automatic

Factors that disrupt the activation process –Prototypicality—social category of essential features characteristic of category –Context—situational context –Prejudice—degree of –Cognitive busyness—mental representations for groups disrupted because of limited space in working memory.

s.saterfield, 2006 18

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Activation —Motivated

People have goals and needs they want to achieve, stereotype application can help to satisfy such goals Stereotypes application can also disrupt goal satisfaction, therefore inhibiting such application s.saterfield, 2006 19

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Activation —Motivated

Four categories: • Comprehension goals • Self-enhancement goals • Social adjustment goals • Motivation to avoid prejudice They stem from individual differences, situational factors or both s.saterfield, 2006 20

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Activation —Motivated

• Comprehension goals stem from people’s needs to form clear impressions of what others are like and to understand why events happen.

–Predictable –Security –Understand why people behave the way they do s.saterfield, 2006 21

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Activation —Motivated

• Self-enhancement goals stem from people’s need to see themselves in a positive light.

–Negative stereotypes can help people achieve this goal because seeing others in a negative light can make oneself look better by comparison s.saterfield, 2006 22

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Activation —Motivated

• Social Adjustment motives reflect people’s desire to adjust their behavior to fit into situations and adhere to the norms of rules of behaviors for that setting –Social rules say that one should try to avoid offering others –Desire to fit in s.saterfield, 2006 23

Stereotype Activation/Application

Stereotype Activation —Motivated

• Motivation to avoid prejudice is considered to be a negative trait –People want to avoid acting in a prejudiced manner –Prejudice may be contrary to their personal values and because they do not want others to think of them as prejudice s.saterfield, 2006 24

Stereotype Activation/Application

Activated Stereotype

The two processes of automatic and motivated operate simultaneously.

• Effect the degree to which a stereotype is activated or inhibited –Person’s mood—affects how people interpret characteristics s.saterfield, 2006 25

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 1

The desire to avoid treating outgroup members as though they were part of the ingroup is referred to as 1. ingroup overexclusion.

2. outgroup underinclusion. 3. minimal group paradigm.

4. outgroup homogeneity effect.

s.saterfield, 2006 26

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 1

The desire to avoid treating outgroup members as though they were part of the ingroup is referred to as

1. ingroup overexclusion.

2. outgroup underinclusion. 3. minimal group paradigm.

4. outgroup homogeneity effect.

s.saterfield, 2006 27

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 2

Lena agrees with the social stereotype that Arabs are dangerous. This agreement is referred to as stereotype _________.

1. endorsement 2. knowledge 3. accuracy 4. application s.saterfield, 2006 28

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 2

Lena agrees with the social stereotype that Arabs are dangerous. This agreement is referred to as stereotype _________.

1. endorsement

2. knowledge 3. accuracy 4. application s.saterfield, 2006 29

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 3

Stereotype __________ is the extent to which a stereotype is accessible in one’s mind.

1. application 2. knowledge 3. activation 4. assessment s.saterfield, 2006 30

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 3

Stereotype __________ is the extent to which a stereotype is accessible in one’s mind.

1. application 2. knowledge

3. activation

4. assessment s.saterfield, 2006 31

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 4

Jamal has features that are similar to those of other typical African Americans; researchers refer to Jamal’s features as _________ of his social category.

1. representative 2. exclusive 3. prototypical 4. inclusive s.saterfield, 2006 32

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 4

Jamal has features that are similar to those of other typical African Americans; researchers refer to Jamal’s features as _________ of his social category.

1. representative 2. exclusive

3. prototypical

4. inclusive s.saterfield, 2006 33

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 5

Motivated perceivers are likely to 1. categorize at the basic social category level.

2. form an unfavorable impression.

3. categorize at the subtype level.

4. categorize on the basis of race instead of gender.

s.saterfield, 2006 34

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 5

Motivated perceivers are likely to 1. categorize at the basic social category level.

2. form an unfavorable impression.

3. categorize at the subtype level.

4. categorize on the basis of race instead of gender.

s.saterfield, 2006 35

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 6

When stereotype activation is triggered simply by stimuli associated with the stereotyped group, ________ processing has occurred.

1. motivated 2. categorized 3. automatic 4. explicit s.saterfield, 2006 36

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 6

When stereotype activation is triggered simply by stimuli associated with the stereotyped group, ________ processing has occurred.

1. motivated 2. categorized 3. automatic 4. explicit s.saterfield, 2006 37

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 7

Which of the following has been demonstrated by research on stereotype activation?

1. Positive stereotypes are rarely activated.

2. Priming does not result in stereotype activation.

3. Stereotype activation is more likely when perceivers are cognitively busy.

4. Stereotype activation is more likely when people see a prototypical group member.

s.saterfield, 2006 38

Stereotype Activation/Application

Question 7

Which of the following has been demonstrated by research on stereotype activation?

1. Positive stereotypes are rarely activated.

2. Priming does not result in stereotype activation.

3. Stereotype activation is more likely when perceivers are cognitively busy.

4. Stereotype activation is more likely when people see a prototypical group member.

s.saterfield, 2006 39

Stereotype Activation/Application

Activated Stereotype

The two processes of automatic and motivated operate simultaneously.

• Effect the degree to which a stereotype is activated or inhibited –Person’s mood—affects how people interpret characteristics s.saterfield, 2006 40