ON RESISTING THE TEMPTATION FOR SIMPLIFICATION - COUNTERINTENTIONAL EFFECTS OF STEREOTYPE SUPPRESSION ON SOCIAL MEMORY

In two studies, we investigated the process and consequences of stereo type suppression. In Study 1, participants formed impressions of a tar get, via an audio-taped self-description, while simultaneously respond ing to a randomly presented probe stimulus (i.e., probe reaction task) . While performing the impression-formation task, some participants we re instructed to inhibit their stereotypes about the target's social g roup; others were given no such instruction. The results demonstrated: (i) that stereotype suppression is an effortful, resource-demanding m ental process; and (ii) that stereotype suppression ironically reduces attentional resources available for processing target-related informa tion. Study 2 replicated the finding that stereotype suppressors had i mpaired memory for nonstereotypic individuating information and reveal ed another ironic consequence of mental control. Specifically, followi ng a period of stereotype suppression, participants demonstrated enhan ced recall for the formerly unwanted stereotypic material.