THE ACCURACY AND POWER OF SEX, SOCIAL-CLASS, AND ETHNIC-STEREOTYPES -A NATURALISTIC STUDY IN PERSON PERCEPTION

This research examined the accuracy and power of sex, social class, an d ethnic stereotypes in person perception. Participants included 49 to 56 teachers and nearly 2,000 students in seventh-grade public school math classes. Results indicated that teacher perceptions regarding ach ievement and motivation differences between girls and boys, lower- and upper-class students, and African American and White students were mo stly accurate. Results also showed that although teachers generally re lied an students' personal characteristics to form their perceptions, they occasionally relied on stereotypes. We discuss these results in t erms of the classic view that stereotypes are inaccurate, rigid, exagg erated, and exert powerful effects on person perception.