Accessibility and fit as determinants of the salience of social categorizations

The present article proposes a theoretical model of factors affecting the s alience of social categorizations. The model is strongly related to the acc essibility x fit formulation by Brunei (1957) and to Oakes' (1987) function al perspective on category salience. The results of an experimental sei ies using the 'Who said what?' paradigm are presented, which examined several hypotheses derived from the model. In Study I it was shown that the salienc e of a social categorization with high chronic accessibility (sex categoriz ation) was related to perceptions of issue relevance (normative Jit) and in tercategory differences (meta-contrast ratio). Furthermore, in line with th e salience model measures to increase the situational accessibility, (i.e. a priming procedure) of categorizations with low chronic accessibility (edu cational group and home town categorizations) failed to affect category sal ience as long as participants perceived no comparative and normative Jit of these categorizations (Study II). Under conditions where comparative fit o f these categorizations was perceived, however, the printing procedure succ essfully enhanced category salience (Studies II and III). Results are large ly consistent with the hypotheses derived from the salience model and suppo rt Oakes' functional approach to category salience. Finally, the complex in terrelation between situational accessibility and perceived fit will be dis cussed. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.