A Descriptive and Comparative Analysis of the Content of Stereotypes About Native Americans

Abstract

This research explores the content of stereotypes about Native Americans and how they differ from stereotypes about other racial groups from a psychological perspective. Building on a classic social psychology paradigm, participants identified adjectives associated with stereotypes of Native Americans and either Asian Americans or African Americans. Native American stereotypes were less favorable than Asian American stereotypes, but more favorable than African American stereotypes. Predominant themes that emerged in the stereotypes participants held about Native Americans reflected being historic (e.g., ancient) and contemporary negative behaviors and outcomes (e.g., alcoholic). Furthermore, relative to the stereotypes about other social groups, stereotypes about Native Americans more closely aligned with participants’ personal beliefs. Lastly, along dimensions of the stereotype content model (Fiske et al. in J Personal Soc Psychol 82(6):878–902, 2002), Native Americans were viewed as less competent, less competitive, and lower in social status than Asian Americans, and less competent and lower in social status than African Americans.