Essays
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Controlling the Influence of Stereotypes on One's Thoughts - Forscher, Patrick S.
Research on reducing or controlling implicit bias has been characterized by a tension between the two goals of reducing lingering intergroup disparities and gaining insight into human cognition. The tension between these two goals has created two distinct research traditions, each of which is characterized by different research questions, methods, and ultimate goals. We argue that the divisions between these research traditions are more apparent than real and that the two research traditions could be synergistic. We attempt to integrate the two traditions by arguing that implicit bias, and the disparities it is presumed to cause, is a public health problem. On the basis of this perspective, we identify shortcomings in our current knowledge of controlling implicit bias and provide a set of recommendations for future research. -
Stereotype Content - Capestany, Beatrice H.
Scholars have recently proposed a model that describes and systematically categorizes the content of stereotypes. This stereotype content model posits that groups are stereotyped along the dimensions of trait warmth (i.e., likeability and friendliness) and competence (Fiske, Xu, Cuddy, & Glick, 1999). Groups will typically be stereotyped into one of four clusters—low warmth and high competence, high warmth and low competence, high warmth and high competence, and lastly low warmth and low competence. The combination of positively and negatively valenced clusters creates ambivalent or mixed stereotype content that produces paternalistic (high warmth, low competence) or envious (low warmth, high competence) forms of prejudice. The model has generated interesting new results and insights about the nature of stereotypes and their impact on behaviors, including dehumanization. -
Stereotype Threat - Schmader, Toni
Research has documented that subtle reminders of negative stereotypes can reduce performance for those who are targeted by them. This phenomenon has been labeled stereotype threat and was originally proposed as a novel explanation for racial and gender gaps in certain types of intellectual performance. Two decades of research on stereotype threat has expanded to explain performance differences for a number of different groups across a variety of domains. The most recent research on stereotype threat has both mapped out the sequence of cognitive and affective mechanisms that underlie the phenomena and tested the effectiveness of various interventions that allow people to perform up to their potential. Future work is needed to examine possible cultural variation in stereotype threat, study the dynamic processes of how the phenomenon unfolds over time, and move to inform public policies in workplaces and schools.