Stereotypes help people connect with others in the community: a situated functional analysis of the stereotype consistency bias in communication.
Communicators tend to share more stereotype-consistent than stereotype-inconsistent information. The authors propose and test a situated functional model of this stereotype consistency bias: stereotype-consistent and inconsistent information differentially serve 2 central functions of communication--sharing information and regulating relationships; depending on the communication context, information seen to serve these different functions better is more likely communicated. Results showed that stereotype-consistent information is perceived as more socially connective but less informative than inconsistent information, and when the stereotype is perceived to be highly shared in the community, more stereotype-consistent than inconsistent information is communicated due to its greater social connectivity function. These results highlight the need to examine communication as a dynamic and situated social activity.
Clark
Anna E
AE
Department of Social Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boerchorstraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam. ae.clark@psy.vu.nl
Kashima
Yoshihisa
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015982:Bias; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D013240:Stereotyping