title: The neural correlates of implicit theory violation.
abstract: The present study examined whether perceivers' implicit theories about the fixedness of intelligence would modulate neurophysiological responses to stereotype-violating and stereotype-confirming information. Brain activity was recorded using EEG as participants read a series of stereotype-confirming or stereotype-violating behaviors performed by a target character. Compared to incremental theorists (who believe that intelligence is malleable), entity theorists (who believe that intelligence is fixed) displayed more pronounced N400 responses to stereotype-violating behaviors. In contrast, incremental theorists exhibited more pronounced N400 responses than entity theorists to stereotype-confirming behaviors. These results shed light on basic processes in Person Memory by suggesting that perceivers make a distinction at the neurocognitive level between stereotype violations versus implicit theory violations.
authors: a Department of Psychology , University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.
authors: Xiaowen
authors: X
authors: Xu
authors: Jason E
authors: JE
authors: Plaks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D014754:Violence; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Event-related potentials; Implicit theories; Stereotyping