THE EFFECTS OF MULTIPLE SOCIAL CATEGORIES ON STEREOTYPING

This study examined some of the cognitive processes underlying stereot yping, as well as the effects of multiple social categories in impress ion formation. Phase 1 of the study assessed stereotypes of males, fem ales, 20 year olds, 70 year olds, French Canadians and English Canadia ns in a sample of 60 undergraduates. The results demonstrated that ste reotype judgements were relatively automatic in that they were made mo re quickly than non-stereotype judgements. Phase 2 of the study examin ed the impressions formed of ''individuals'' who were simultaneously i dentified in terms of gender, age and ethnicity. These individuals ten ded to be perceived in terms of their gender and age; moreover, this e ffect was more pronounced on stereotype traits than non-stereotype tra its. Phase 3 examined subjects' memory for the individuals, and it was found that memory was better for age and gender than for ethnicity, a nd that speed for making such judgements followed the same pattern. Wh ile the results support the view that individuals are perceived in ter ms of stereotypes, they suggest that certain salient categories will b e more influential in a particular context.