COGNITIVE REPRESENTATION IN ETHNOPHAULISMS AS A FUNCTION OF GROUP-SIZE - THE PHENOMENOLOGY OF BEING IN A GROUP

Two studies examined cognitive representation for minority groups of v arying sizes. Cognitive representation was operationalized as the degr ee of complexity in the ethnophaulisms, or ethnic slurs, for these min ority groups. The results of these studies confirm the prediction that prototype cognitive representations will be more prevalent for smalle r groups. The relation between group size and cognitive representation could not be dismissed as an artifact of a more fundamental associati on between prejudice and cognitive representation. Moreover, this basi c effect did not seem to vary as a function of the region of origin of these ethnic groups or membership in the groups. The Discussion secti on considers the implications of these results for the study of stereo typing.