Effects of stereotypicality and perceived group variability on the use of attitudinal information in impression formation

Abstract

In line with Susan Fiske and Steven Neuberg's continuum model of impression formation, it was found that when a social category was perceived as homogeneous on a stereotypic trait, a target's behavioral discrepancy from that stereotype elicited attention to and elaboration of individuating information. Individuating information consisted of the target person's attitude toward a stereotype-unrelated issue. Perceived variability was manipulated. Impressions of the stimulus person were related to participants'own attitude toward the issue, suggesting a similarity attraction effect. In the atypical-behavior/low-variability condition, this relationship was mediated by attitude-related thoughts. This suggests a cognitive-response-mediated similarity-attraction effect leading to relatively individuated impressions. All results were consistent across two different stimulus groups that were associated with complementary stereotypes.