Fencing off the deviant: the role of cognitive resources in the maintenance of stereotypes

Article Abstract:

Author's Abstract, COPYRIGHT 1999, American Psychological Association, Inc. The role of cognitive resources in stereotype maintenance was examined. It was hypothesized that people's cognitive resources would condition the maintenance of stereotypes by affecting the ability to dismiss inconsistent target infomation. In Experiment 1, distracted and nondistracted participants formed an impression of a deviant target. As predicted, distraction was associated with less stereotypical views about the group. Experiment 2 replicated this finding using 3 deviant targets and 4 levels of distraction. Results also revealed that the perceived atypicality of the deviants mediated stereotype maintenance. Experiment 3 further showed that stereotypes remained intact only when participants were not distracted and when they had also received neutral information about the target. The discussion focuses on the role of cognitive resources in stereotyping and the effectiveness of exposure to disconfirmation in achieving stereotype change.

Belgium, Stereotype (Psychology), Stereotypes (Psychology)

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Impression valence constrains social explanations: the case of discounting versus conjunction effects

Article Abstract:

Author's Abstract, COPYRIGHT 1999, American Psychological Association, Inc. Discounting refers to a reduction in explanation plausibility in light of another explanation, whereas conjunction effects refer to an increase in plausibility of explanations judged in combination rather than in isolation. Explanation compatibility moderates these effects, such that discounting is greater for incompatible explanations and conjunction effects are greater for compatible explanations. Three experiments examined whether this effect reflects perceptions regarding (a) the prior statistical association of causal factors, (b) the sharing of common causal mechanisms, or (c) coherence with regard to global impressions. Results indicated that impresson valence predicts and also directly influences discounting and conjunction effects independent of covariation and mechanism, underscoring the pervasive impact of impressions on attributions.

Explanation

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An investment model prediction of dating infidelity

Article Abstract:

Author's Abstract, COPYRIGHT 1999, American Psychological Association, Inc. Many researchers have examined the justifications individuals give after being unfaithful to their romantic partners. However, very little research has been done to determine factors that actually predict infidelity. Two studies were conducted using the investment model (C.E.Rusbult, 1980, 1983) to predict instances of physical and emotional infidelity in dating relationships. The 1st study found that commitment level at the beginning of the semester successfully predicted later emotional and physical infidelity. The 2nd study used an interaction diary method to predict the physical and emotional intimacy of nonpartner opposite-sex interactions over the course of the week-long university holiday known as spring break. Once again, commitment level before spring break successfully predicted the emotional and physical intimacy of such interactions.

Interpersonal relations, Dating (Social customs), Sexual ethics, Monogamy

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