Effects of Racial Stereotypes on Judgments of Individuals: The Moderating Role of Perceived Group Variability

Abstract

We examined the influence of perceived group variability on the use of stereotypes in judging individuals, distinguishing between two forms of perceived variability: stereotypicality and dispersion (Park & Judd, 1990). In Study 1, subjects judged the variability of members of sororities and fraternities and then provided trait and confidence judgments of hypothetical group members. In Study 2, 2 months after judging the variability of Asian Americans, subjects judged the mathematical ability of an Asian American individual and indicated how confident they were. In Study 3, 3 months after judging the variability of Blacks and Whites, subjects judged ambiguously aggressive behaviors performed by individual Black and White children (Sagar & Schofield, 1980). In all three studies, stereotypicality positively influenced trait judgments. Thus, subjects who perceived the group more stereotypically judged specific individuals in a more stereotypic manner. Dispersion negatively influenced confidence judgments such that subjects who perceived high dispersion among group members were less confident in their judgments of specific individuals.