EFFECTS OF RACIAL STEREOTYPES ON JUDGMENTS OF INDIVIDUALS - THE MODERATING ROLE OF PERCEIVED GROUP VARIABILITY

We examined the influence of perceived group variability on the use of stereotypes in judging individuals, distinguishing between two forms of perceived variability: stereotypicality and dispersion (Park & Judd , 1990). In Study 1, subjects judged the variability of members of sor orities and fraternities and then provided trait and confidence judgme nts of hypothetical group members. In Study 2, 2 months after judging the variability of Asian Americans, subjects judged the mathematical a bility of an Asian American individual and indicated how confident the y were. In Study 3, 3 months after judging the variability of Blacks a nd Whites, subjects judged ambiguously aggressive behaviors performed by individual Black and White children (Sagar & Schofield, 1980). In a ll three studies, stereotypicality positively influenced trait judgmen ts. Thus, subjects who perceived the group more stereotypically judged specific individuals in a more stereotypic manner. Dispersion negativ ely influenced confidence judgments such that subjects who perceived h igh dispersion among group members were less confident in their judgme nts of specific individuals. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.