BIASES IN MEMORY FOR AND USE OF INCONSISTENT BELIEFS IN STEREOTYPING

Some research has suggested that level of inconsistency of information that invalidates expectancy-based stereotypes or trait labels is one of several moderating variables that determine the memorability and us e of inconsistent information (e.g. Rojahn & Pettigrew, 1992). Two exp eriments were designed to identify variables that moderate memory for and use of counter-stereotypic social-political beliefs that were attr ibuted to a stereotypically identified group. In Expt 1, recall was fo und to be inversely related to level of inconsistency. In Expt 2, loca tion of counter-stereotypic beliefs within a list and the order of cou nter-stereotypic beliefs (most-to-least vs. least-to-most inconsistent ) determined the form of the relationship between recall and level of inconsistency. When counter-stereotypic beliefs were presented relativ ely early in a list and were ordered from least-to-most inconsistent, a positive relationship obtained; otherwise, the relationship was nega tive. Stereotyping was less extreme when counter-stereotypic beliefs w ere presented early in the least-to-most inconsistent ordering. Cognit ive processes that may have produced these sets of findings were discu ssed.