ACTING-OUT OUR MINDS - INCORPORATING BEHAVIOR INTO MODELS OF STEREOTYPE-BASED EXPECTANCIES FOR CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS

This article presents an observational study designed to investigate t he role of expectancies and behaviors during moss-cultural interaction s. In a partial test of several cognition-based models, the study prov ided more support for associations between individuating behaviors (in volvement, verbal openness, and nonverbal cue congruence) and post-int eraction evaluations than between expectancies (reported knowledge and attitudes) and evaluations, which is consistent with a ''weak social constructivist view'' (Jussim, 1991) of the evaluation process. Indivi duating behavior was particularly likely to correlate with evaluations when it occurred later in interactions. Despite their relative unimpo rtance in predicting evaluations, stereotype-based expectancies were a ssociated with some behaviors (gaze, lean, head nods, and body orienta tion) used by the participants and, to a lesser degree, by their partn ers. Expectancies also predicted behavioral congruence for vocal, body orientation, and kinesic cues. A model of the tie between expectancie s, behavior, and evaluations that draws together these results with th ose of previous research is presented.