TRAIT IMPLICATIONS AS A MODERATOR OF RECALL OF STEREOTYPE-CONSISTENT AND STEREOTYPE-INCONSISTENT BEHAVIORS

The assumption was tested that organization in memory of behavioral in formation and recall depends on the descriptive relatedness of consist ent information with inconsistent information. Subjects read stereotyp e-consistent and stereotype-inconsistent behavioral descriptions imply ing the same trait dimension (e.g., intelligent and stupid behaviors) or different trait dimensions (e.g., intelligent and aggressive behavi ors). It was hypothesized that if stereotype-inconsistent behaviors we re associated with consistent behaviors because of shared trait implic ations, these behaviors would be recalled better than stereotype-consi stent behaviors. Conversely, it was expected that Sf subjects were pro vided with inconsistent information that, because of differential trai t implications, could not be associated with consistent information, i nconsistent information would be stored separately, and recall of this information would be worse. These predictions were corroborated in a recall task. Conditional recall probabilities and clustering scores su pported the proposed underlying organization of information in memory.