Changing social stereotypes : the impact of inconsistent information on stereotypes of and affective reactions to target groups

Type of content
Theses / Dissertations
Publisher's DOI/URI
Thesis discipline
Psychology
Degree name
Master of Arts
Publisher
University of Canterbury
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
English
Date
1999
Authors
Love, Nicholas Charles
Abstract

Previous literature has shown that negative stereotypes are susceptible to change under the right conditions. The reported research extended the literature on stereotype modification by investigating the effects of stereotype inconsistent information on both completely positive stereotypes and mixed stereotypes that contain positive and negative traits. The mixed stereotypes were included so that it would be possible to link the current research to Rothbart and Park's (1986) work that found individual positive traits easy to disconfinn and negative ones hard to disconfirm. The present research examined the effect of stereotype inconsistent inf01mation on positive and negative traits in the context of a stereotype. The effects of disconfoming behavioral information on congruent or incongruent affective reaction to the target groups was also considered. Reading times for the presented stereotype inconsistent inf01mation were also recorded. Sixty four students participated in the study, 32 participants were presented with stereotype inconsistent info1mation and their results were compared to 32 control subjects who received no information. Both conditions filled out a behavioral and affective questionnaire. It was found that for positive stereotypes, positive traits were susceptible to modification but in the mixed stereotypes positive traits resisted modification whilst negative traits was modified. It was also found that an affective reaction that is congruent with the stereotype could be modified in response to disconfirming behavioral information. Reading times were longer for stereotype inconsistent information than consistent. hnplications for stereotype change are discussed

Description
Citation
Keywords
Stereotypes (Social psychology)
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Rights
All Rights Reserved