Effects of category-based expectancy violation on affect-related evaluations: Toward a comprehensive model

We examined the processes that unfold from category-based expectancy violat ions. In Experiment 1, which included both Black and White participants, de scriptions of in-group and out-group targets' academic credentials either v iolated or were consistent with relevant category-based expectancies for th eir respective group category. The results showed that expectancy violation s were associated with more extreme affect-related evaluations, regardless of whether the participants were in-group or out-group members. Moreover, t hese affect-related evaluations were made more quickly than attributions. I n Experiment 2, a judgment facilitation paradigm was used in which particip ants' response times to make affect-related evaluations and attributions re garding expectancy violating targets were compared. Consistent with Experim ent 1, the results showed that affect-related evaluations were made more qu ickly than attributions, and facilitation scores indicated that affect-rela ted evaluations are likely mediators of attributions. Results were consiste nt with the expectancy-violation theory, and supported the idea that affect -related evaluations mediate the relation between target characteristics an d attributional processes.