Predictably confirmatory: The influence of stereotypes during decisional processing

Abstract

Stereotypes facilitate the processing of expectancy-consistent (vs expectancy-inconsistent) information, yet the underlying origin of this congruency effect remains unknown. As such, here we sought to identify the cognitive operations through which stereotypes influence decisional processing. In six experiments, participants responded to stimuli that were consistent or inconsistent with respect to prevailing gender stereotypes. To identify the processes underpinning task performance, responses were submitted to a hierarchical drift diffusion model (HDDM) analysis. A consistent pattern of results emerged. Whether manipulated at the level of occupational (Expts. 1, 3, and 5) or trait-based (Expts. 2, 4, and 6) expectancies, stereotypes facilitated task performance and influenced decisional processing via a combination of response and stimulus biases. Specifically, (1) stereotype-consistent stimuli were classified more rapidly than stereotype-inconsistent stimuli; (2) stereotypic responses were favoured over counter-stereotypic responses (i.e., starting-point shift towards stereotypic responses); (3) less evidence was required when responding to stereotypic than counter-stereotypic stimuli (i.e., narrower threshold separation for stereotypic stimuli); and (4) decisional evidence was accumulated more efficiently for stereotype-inconsistent than stereotype-consistent stimuli and when targets had a typical than atypical facial appearance. Collectively, these findings elucidate how stereotypes influence person construal.

Stereotype-based priming without stereotype activation: A tale of two priming tasks

“…Rather, primes enhanced the processing of stereotype-inconsistent compared with stereotype-consistent targets. Albeit using a different experimental paradigm (i.e., explicit face-label stereotype-based judgement task), Falbén et al (2019) recently reported an identical effect. To guide social-cognitive functioning in an adaptable manner, the mind must possess two complementary skills (see Grossberg, 1987 ; Johnston & Hawley, 1994 ; McClelland et al, 1995 ).…”

“…For model 8, the posterior distributions of the estimated parameters were used to simulate data sets. We then assessed the quality of model fit by plotting the observed data against the simulated data for the .1, .3, .5, .7, and .9 response time quantiles for each experimental condition ( Falbén et al, 2019 ; Krypotos et al, 2015 ). As can be seen in Figure 1 , with nearly complete overlap between the observed values and the simulated estimates across all prime-target combinations, this revealed good model fit.…”

Comparing person and people perception: Multiple group members do not increase stereotype priming

“…N. White & Poldrack, 2014). Adopting this analytical approach, recent work has traced stereotype priming to the operation of a response bias (Falbén et al, 2019;Tsamadi et al, 2020). Tsamadi et al (2020), for example, required participants to report the stereotype-related status of object labels (e.g., flower, briefcase) that followed female or male facial primes.…”

“…Multiple versions of the grids were created for each priming condition (i.e., 1, 2, 3, or 4 faces) to ensure that faces appeared equally often at each of the locations during the task. The to-be-judged occupations were taken from Falbén et al (2019) and the objects from Crawford et al (2004). On completion of the task, participants were debriefed, thanked, and dismissed.…”

Confirmation of interpersonal expectations is intrinsically rewarding

“…The human preference for consistent and predictable social interactions has long been acknowledged as a core motivational component driving everyday behavior (Festinger, 1957; Gawronski, 2012). To predict the behavior of others, perceivers regularly employ biased strategies to collect and interpret information that corresponds to their expectations (Lord et al , 1979; Johnston and Macrae, 1994; Frimer et al , 2017; Falben et al , 2019; Oyserman and Yan, 2019). Here we provide evidence to suggest that humans associate expectation-consistent information with intrinsic value, much like other forms of reward such as food or money.…”