Prejudice Expectations Moderate Preconscious Attention to Cues That Are Threatening to Social Identity

Two studies examined whether chronic and situational expectations about being stigmatized predict attention toward cues that are threatening to social identity. In Study 1, women's chronic expectations about experiencing sexism were positively associated with their attention toward subliminal c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological science 2006-04, Vol.17 (4), p.332-338
Main Authors: Kaiser, Cheryl R., Vick, S. Brooke, Major, Brenda
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Attention
Attitude
Cues
Diseases
Female
Gender identity
Humans
Male
Opposite gender interaction
Personality
Personality psychology
Prejudice
Prejudices
Psychology
Reaction Time
Sexism
Social Identification
Social identity
Social psychology
Social stigma
Stigma
Subliminal perception
Unconscious (Psychology)
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Summary:Two studies examined whether chronic and situational expectations about being stigmatized predict attention toward cues that are threatening to social identity. In Study 1, women's chronic expectations about experiencing sexism were positively associated with their attention toward subliminal cues threatening to their social identity. In Study 2, women were vigilant toward subliminal cues threatening to their social identity when the experimental situation conveyed that their gender was devalued, but not when the experimental situation promoted value and respect for their gender. Women were vigilant toward consciously presented cues threatening to their social identity regardless of the attitudes the experimental context conveyed toward their group. These studies have important theoretical and practical implications for understanding the psychological experience of possessing a devalued social identity.
ISSN:0956-7976
1467-9280
DOI:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01707.x