SCA - The Individual & the Group - Stereotypes Formation and Effects

Sociocultural approach > The individual & the group > Stereotypes

4 Theories on stereotype formation

1. SIT

2. SCT

3. Grain of truth

4. Illusiory Correlation

SIT in relation to stereotype formation

Categorizing people into in- and out-groups (Mechanism of Social categorization). The mechanism of Social Comparison causes the need for people to compare their in group with out-groups. Often to maintain self-esteem, negative stereotypes are allocated to out-group while good ones to the in-group.

SCT in relation to stereotype formation

Basically expalins that the formation of stereotypes can be learned form observing other’s behaviour

Eg. from friends and family (enculturation)

“Grain of Truth“

When talking about your own or someone elses experiences, we may be creating or strengthening stereotypes.

Sometimes your own experience with an individual is then applied to to the whole social group

Illusiory Correlation

We see correlations between things that are not actually connected. Eg. being a woman and being bad at maths

Illusory Correlation Studies

Hamilton & Gifford (1976)

Snyder & Swann (1978)

Hamilton & Gifford (1976)

Aim:

Procedure:

Results:

Snyder & Swann (1978)

Aim:

Procedure:

Results:

Effects of stereotypes

1. Self-fullfilling prophecy

2. Memory distortion

3. Strereotype threat

Self-fulfilling prophecy

The way others treat you based on their own schemas and stereotypes changes your own behaviour.

Study: Rosenthal & Jacobson

Memory Distortion

Stereotypoes effect how we remember things. Our memories change to fit our schemas.

Studies: Martin & Halverson, Allport & Postman, Payne

Stereotype Threat

As we get scared that we are acting like a stereotype about our in-group, we may get anxiety/ apprehension/emotional distress from it and thus we underperform (which is the stereotype).

Study: Steele & Aaronson

Steele & Aaronson

Black students were put to do three tests. These included 2 “non-threat” tests and 1 “threat” test (test that most Black students are told they’re not good at).

Result: Participants performed exceedingly better in non-threat tests.

Payne

Participants were shown images of Black/White men followed by image of tool/gun. They were given seconds to respond if 2nd image was tool or gun. results showed that they mostly said that after the black man there was a gun even if it was a tool.

Allport & Postman

Participants were given image when white man is threatening black man with a razor. Then asked to describe this to someone else (serial reproduction). For over half of the participants the story changed to a black man holding the razor.

Martin and Halverson

5 & 6 y-o were given images with gender conforming and gender non-conforming pictures of people doing stuff. Then a week later they were asked to recount what the images they saw had in them. For a fair amount of participants the actions in the images changed to gender conforming activities.

Rosenthal & Jaqcobson

Primary teachers told students they were eduational bloomers. A year later based on IQ tests, students who were told this improved by leaps and bounds.