Chronic and temporarily activated causal uncertainty beliefs and stereotype usage

In 3 studies, we examined the hypothesis that the effects of stereotype usa ge on target judgments are moderated by causal uncertainty beliefs and rela ted accuracy goal structures. In Study 1, we focused on the role of chronic ally accessible causal uncertainty beliefs as predictors of a target's leve l of guilt for an alleged academic misconduct offense. In Study 2, we exami ned the role of chronic causal uncertainty reduction goals and a manipulate d accuracy goal; in Study 3, we investigated the role of primed causal unce rtainty beliefs on guilt judgments. In all 3 studies, we found that activat ion of causal uncertainty beliefs and accuracy concerns was related to a re duced usage of stereotypes. Moreover, this reduction was not associated wit h participants' levels of perceived control, depression, state affect, need for cognition, or personal need for structure. Results are discussed in te rms of their implications for the model of causal uncertainty and, more gen erally, in terms of the motivational processes underlying stereotype usage.