Consequences of stereotype suppression and internal suppression motivation: a self-regulation approach.
The present research studied the effects of suppression of stereotypes on subsequent stereotyping. Moreover, the moderating influence of motivation to suppress stereotypes was examined. The first three experiments showed that suppression of stereotypes leads to the experience of engaging in self-control (Study 1), to depleted regulatory resources as indicated by worse performance on an unrelated subsequent task that involves self-regulation (Study 2), and to hyperaccessibility of the suppressed thoughts (Study 3). However, these effects were moderated by internal suppression motivation: Increased self-control, depleted regulatory resources, and hyperaccessibility of suppressed thoughts only occur for people with low internal suppression motivation. Furthermore, in line with the argument that depletion of regulatory resources after suppression also should result in increased stereotyping in general, it was found that suppression of a specific stereotype leads to an increased use of stereotypes in general, but only for people with low internal suppression motivation (Study 4).
Gordijn
Ernestine H
EH
Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, University of Groningen, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands. e.gordijn@ppsw.rug.nl
Hindriks
Inge
I
Koomen
Willem
W
Dijksterhuis
Ap
A
Van Knippenberg
Ad
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012094:Repression, Psychology; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires