Talk by Diane Pecher, Steven Verheyen, René Zeelenberg, & Heleen van Mierlo, Erasmus University Rotterdam, on “How stereotypes develop from memory limitations”.
Time: 10-11 am
Location: Liebermeisterstraße 18 (ZITh), R. 318, and via research colloquium zoom.
Abstract: People often make assumptions about others based on perceptible features such as gender, age, or skin color. Such assumptions are based on stereotypes, for example that women are more caring than men. At least partly, stereotypes might be the result of general cognitive mechanisms such as generalization and memory limitations. Participants studied “aliens” that can be categorized by perceptible features (shape, color). Each alien was presented with personality attributes (e.g., serious, arrogant). At test, participants recalled these attributes for each individual alien. Study-test rounds were repeated with previously recalled attributes which resulted in the formation of stereotypes. This process was strengthened by explicit, incorrect stereotype information. We found systematic individual differences based on learning style. We conclude that normal memory errors such as forgetting and generalization may lead to stereotyping.
