Stereotyping is one of the most important issues in social psychology, but relatively little is known about how and why stereotypes form. This book explores the process of stereotype formation; the way people develop impressions and view social groups. Conventional approaches to stereotyping assume that stereotypes are based on erroneous and distorted processes, but the authors of this unique study have a very different view. They propose that stereotypes form to explain aspects of social groups and; in particular; to explain relationships between groups.
Author(s): Craig McGarty, Vincent Y. Yzerbyt, Russell Spears
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Year: 2002
Language: English
Pages: 242
Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Figures......Page 9
Contributors......Page 10
Preface......Page 11
The purpose of this book......Page 13
Guiding principle 1: stereotypes are aids to explanation......Page 14
Guiding principle 2: stereotypes are energy saving devices......Page 15
Guiding principle 3: stereotypes are shared group beliefs......Page 17
Stereotypes as psychological constructs......Page 18
Why do stereotypes form?......Page 19
How do stereotypes form?......Page 20
Distinctiveness and expectancy-based illusory correlations......Page 21
Integrating distinctiveness and expectancy-based illusory correlation through the idea of differentiated meaning......Page 23
The renaissance of explanation in stereotyping......Page 24
An overview of the chapters to come......Page 25
2 Stereotype formation as category formation......Page 28
Social and cognitive psychological approaches to category formation......Page 29
Stereotypes for explanation, justification and rationalization......Page 37
Covariation and mechanism-based knowledge......Page 41
Using the covariation-mechanism distinction: defining stereotypes in more detail......Page 43
Conclusion......Page 48
3 Subjective essentialism and the emergence of stereotypes......Page 50
The essence of subjective essentialism......Page 51
Subjective essentialism and the accentuation of accentuation......Page 58
Subjective essentialism and the amplification of illusory correlation......Page 62
The emergence of group stereotypes in a multidimensional context......Page 69
Conclusions......Page 76
Introduction......Page 79
Stereotype formation......Page 81
Stereotype application......Page 83
Summary......Page 84
Categorization, category formation and category salience......Page 85
Linking fit and theories in the formation of stereotype content......Page 88
Using theories to interpret fit......Page 92
Theories as ingroup beliefs......Page 95
Conclusions......Page 99
NOTES......Page 101
5 Illusory correlation and stereotype formation: making sense of group differences and cognitive biases......Page 102
Research on illusory correlation......Page 103
Illusory correlation as data-based distortions......Page 105
Illusory correlation as a sense-making process......Page 106
The standard instructions......Page 108
Labels A and B: expecting intergroup differences......Page 109
Groups: expecting intragroup similarities......Page 110
The nature of the stimuli......Page 111
Hypothesis testing and differentiated meaning......Page 115
Standard instructions and stimulus content......Page 116
A dynamic process......Page 118
Conclusions......Page 119
Introduction......Page 123
Dependence and the individuation of powerful targets......Page 125
Attentional processes and stereotyping......Page 127
The experience of discrimination......Page 128
The experience of competition......Page 129
The anticipation of negative dependence......Page 130
When and why would interdependence lead to accentuation in group perception?......Page 134
Conclusions......Page 137
Introduction......Page 139
Theoretical principles and resources......Page 140
Four degrees of stereotype formation......Page 142
1. ‘Bottom up’ stereotype formation: a case of clear and present differences......Page 143
2. A bit of ‘bottom up’: a little data can go a long way......Page 147
3. A bit of ‘top down’: a little knowledge goes just as far......Page 157
4. Neither up nor down: differentiation by any means necessary......Page 162
Conclusions......Page 165
Acknowledgement......Page 168
Stereotyping and stereotype formation: two metatheories......Page 169
1. Social identity and social categorization......Page 173
2. Self-categorization and social identity salience......Page 174
3. Self-categorization, influence and consensus......Page 176
1. Stereotypes are collective achievements......Page 179
2. Stereotypes are works in progress......Page 183
3. Stereotypes are embedded in a system of dynamic intergroup relations......Page 186
4. Stereotypes help maintain and contest the social power structure......Page 189
Conclusion: stereotypes are shared tools not just private pictures......Page 195
NOTES......Page 197
9 Conclusion: stereotypes are selective, variable and contested explanations......Page 198
A brief summary of the chapters......Page 199
3. Meaning and differentiation: beyond cognitive economy?......Page 203
4. Stereotypes are not passive responses to context......Page 204
7. Stereotypes are not necessarily bad......Page 205
Some points of difference......Page 206
The message of this book......Page 210
References......Page 212
Author index......Page 237
Subject index......Page 242
