The effect of anxiety on impression formation: affect-congruent or stereotypic biases?
Two classes of theories propose that anxious individuals will form either more affect-congruent or more stereotypic impressions of others. These theories' predictions are not mutually exclusive. Eighty-one participants were examined to determine if either class of theories was more descriptive of the effect of anxiety on impression formation or whether a theory combining elements of both was more appropriate. Anxious participants read behavioural descriptions about an Australian Aboriginal target that were stereotypic, non-stereotypic, threatening, and non-threatening, and rated the target on traits that corresponded to the behavioural descriptions. Anxious participants formed impressions that were more affect-congruent, but not more stereotypic, than those formed by control participants. This result was replicated in a field study with 61 participants who were waiting to see a dentist. Future studies should examine the cognitive mechanisms that influence and underlie anxious affect-congruent impression formation.
Curtis
Guy J
GJ
School of Psychology, University of Western Sydney, Penrith South DC, NSW, Australia. g.curtis@uws.edu.au
Locke
Vance
V
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011287:Prejudice; D012016:Reference Values; D012718:Set, Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D012938:Social Perception; D012945:Social Values; D013240:Stereotyping