This Old Stereotype: The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Elderly Stereotype

Americans stereotype elderly people as warm and incompetent, following from perceptions of them as noncompetitive and low status, respectively. This article extends existing research regarding stereotyping of older people in two ways. First, we discuss whether the mixed elderly stereotype is unique to American culture. Data from six non-U.S. countries, including three collectivist cultures, demonstrate elderly stereotypes are consistent across varied cultures. Second, we investigate the persistence of the evaluatively -mixed nature of the elderly stereotype. In an experiment, 55 college students rated less competent elderly targets (stereotype-consistent) as warmer than more competent (stereotype-inconsistent) and control elderly targets. We also discuss the type of discrimination—social exclusion—that elderly people often endure.     

Father-Absence and the Development of Sex Role

The lack of data-based research on the effects of father absence provided the major focus of the study. Comparisons are made between sex-role development in father-absent boys, male singletons and males in the four sibling-status positions in two-child families. On three measures of sex-role development, differences between the groups are shown. The father-absent groups are shown to rank poorly in comparison with their peers. Although no firm explanations are adduced for this developmental disadvantage, the possibilities of compensatory masculinity and critical periods in sex-role establishment are raised. The need for provision of adequate male sex role models for boys during the psychosexually formative years and some implications for future research are discussed.     

Anything women can do men can do better: An experiment examining the effects of stereotype threat on political knowledge and efficacy

Negative stereotypes have been shown to create cognitive burdens that decrease intellectual performance in a number of tasks such as math and standardized tests. Applying a multidisciplinary approach and an experimental research design, this paper examines the effect of stereotype threat on political knowledge and political efficacy. A sample of 226 undergraduate students completed an online survey on political knowledge and efficacy. Participants were randomly assigned to a stereotype threat condition or a non-threat condition. Contrary to what was hypothesized, stereotype threat does not explain the political knowledge gap between men and women; men score significantly higher than women in both conditions. However, preliminary evidence suggests the presence of stereotype lift in men's sense of political efficacy. Men's political efficacy demonstrates a moderate increase in the stereotype threat condition while women's sense of efficacy does not change (d = .53).     

Breaking out of the circle: an analysis of the gendered communication behaviors of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Netanyahu

Among the many challenges first ladies face are a variety of sex-role stereotypes. These sex-role constraints impact the office from such sources as the press and public. This article assesses these stereotypes and the prevalence of other cultural expectations on the first ladyships of the United States and Israel by comparing the experiences of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sarah Netanyahu.     

Sex Differences in Household Involvement of the Unmarried

It has been posited that sex-role differentiation decreases and unisex patterns emerge in late life. Most research on household activities in old age, however, has studied couples. This study examines sex differences in household activities and sources of help of older, unmarried men and women; the relationship between household involvement and psychological well-being; and personal characteristics associated with household activities. Data were obtained from interviews with 341 men and women. Males and females without spouses managed their household roles somewhat differently both in the tasks they performed and sources from which they accepted help. Relationships between household involvement and well-being were positive for both sexes. But the gender-linked nature of household work persists inro very late life and is not eliminated by the absence of a spouse. Continued sex differentiation in tasks in later life has implications for the provision of formal and informal sources of help for the unmarried aged.     

The Victim of Rape: WHAT Progress?

This article utilizes a recent statement made by a member of the judiciary, in which female 'hitch-hikers' are admonished on the basis that such behaviour is likely to provoke a sexual assault. The attitudes, recent research and genesis of sex-role stereotypes are explored in order to elucidate the rationale underlying this statement. Particular attention is drawn to the fact that such statements are addressed exclusively to females.     

The Personal/Group Discrimination Discrepancy

This article extends Allport's (1954) analysis of targets of discrimination by examining why minority group members perceive more discrimination directed at their group than at themselves. Two studies were conducted to explain this personal/group discrimination discrepancy by focusing on the role of stereotypes, which allow people to process information faster. Women (Study 1) and African Americans (Study 2) made ratings of personaland group discrimination while a computer recorded the time it took them to respond. Both took less time to make ratings of group discrimination than personal discrimination. Moreover, the less time it took for them to respond to questions about group discrimination, the larger the discrepancy was between their ratings of personal and group discrimination. These results suggest that the personal/group discrimination discrepancy emerges when minority groupmembers are using a stereotype in which discrimination encountered by their group is believed to be high.     

Contextual Variability in Young Children's Gender Ingroup Stereotype

Self-categorization theorists (Oakes, Haslam & Turner, 1994) have shown that stereotypes are not rigid and fixed, and that they vary to reflect variations in the comparative context within which they are formed. In this paper we investigate stereotype variability in a sample of 6/7-year-old children. Participants describe a specific outgroup, and then describe the ingroup (that is 'boys' or 'girls', depending on the sex of the participant). There are two conditions: in condition one the outgroup is represented by adult 'men', if participants are boys, or by adult 'women', if participants are girls. In condition two the outgroup is represented by 'girls', if participants are boys, or by 'boys', if participants are girls. Results show that stereotypical traits attributed to the ingroup change significantly with changes in the frame of reference.     

Cultural Stereotypes and Positioning Theory

This paper addresses the application of positioning theory , a new emerging theoretical scheme on the issue of cultural stereotyping. First, a critical conceptual analysis of the words'cultural stereotype'is presented. Secondly, the basic tenets of positioning theory are outlined. Finally, it will be demonstrated how the framework of positioning theory can be used to analytically refine the concept of cultural stereotype. The main upshot of the article is that within social psychology, the concept of cultural stereotype is used in a conceptually vague and blurred way and that, with the necessary conceptual refinements, other research-agendas on stereotypes will have to be tackled if social psychologists want to contribute anything to the societal efforts of changing stereotypes.     

Minority comparison model: Effects of Whites’ multiracial evaluation on symbolic racism and racialized policy preferences

Most Racial Studies primarily focus on African Americans without paying attention to nonblack minorities, and it fails to capture recent increase in racial diversity. Based on previous theories and empirical findings, we propose a new model, minority comparison model, which accounts for theoretical shortcomings in Racial Studies. This model (1) captures psychological processes that compare blacks and nonblacks, and (2) explores the effects of whites’ multiracial evaluation on racialized policy preferences. Drawing on a 2008 national representative sample, this study finds that whites who have positive stereotype of nonblacks (e.g., Hispanics and/or Asians) but negative stereotype of blacks show substantially higher symbolic racism and stronger opposition to Affirmative Action, whereas whites who have positive stereotype of blacks but negative stereotypes of nonblacks have stronger opposition to expansive immigration policy. Our study offers new ways of understanding and accounting for symbolic racism in modern context, and shows how whites’ preferences in racialized policies are influenced by multiracial evaluation.     

Exploring Children's Stereotypes Through Drawings: The Case of Musical Performance

Drawings of 'a person' and of 'a person playing music' were collected from children aged seven to eight years and 10–11 years to discover whether children's musical representations would reflect gender differences evident in musical learning and performance, and the increased gender rigidity with age found in instrument preferences. As in previous drawing studies, same sex figures were overwhelmingly portrayed, although older girls drew more opposite sex figures than the other children. All except the older girls overwhelmingly drew same sex musicians irrespective of the gender stereotype of the instrument portrayed. The older girls drew similar numbers of male and female figures playing masculine instruments. Fewer feminine instruments were drawn by older than by younger boys. The increased gender rigidity with age accords with the results of the preference studies, but gender stereotyping was much weaker. This is discussed in relation to what the different methodologies measure.     

Social Status as a Predictor of Race and Gender Stereotypes in Late Childhood and Early Adolescence

We examined race and gender stereotypes in fourth‐, sixth‐ and eighth‐grade White and Black children. The participants reported their perceptions of the competence of Black, White, female and male children in academic domains, sports and music. In general, low‐status groups (girls and Black children) did not endorse stereotypes that reflected negatively on their own group but were likely to report stereotypes that favored their social group. High‐status groups (boys and Whites) endorsed most traditional stereotypes, whether negative or positive, for their social group. Where age differences appeared, older children were more likely than younger children to report traditional stereotypes and status effects were more pronounced. The results are discussed in terms of group enhancement and relationships between social stereotypes and self‐views.     

Television and Prejudice Reduction: When Does Television as a Vicarious Experience Make a Difference?

Televised role portrayals and interracial interactions, as sources of vicarious experience, contribute to the development of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination among children. The first section of this article reviews the amount and nature of racial/ethnic content on television, including limited portrayals of racial/ethnic groups and of interracial/ethnic interaction. The second section focuses on theoretical models that help explain television's role in the development, maintenance, and modification of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. The third section addresses research on the effects of television in altering stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, with particular attention given to media intervention programs specifically designed to address these issues (Sesame Street and Different and the Same). This article concludes with a discussion of suggestions for future research.     

刻板印象内容模型的修正与发展——源于大学生群体样本的调查结果

刻板印象是对社会群体及其成员固定或模式化的看法。对刻板印象形成维度的研究，被系统地总结为刻板印象内容模型（Stereotype Content Model, SCM）。本文对SCM的相关理论进行了简要梳理。作者按照SCM的典范程序，进行了有效样本为115人的试验性调查和160人的正式调查，以问卷的方式要求被调查者对21个社会群体进行分类和评价，建立起了大学生关于21个社会群体的刻板印象类型，并在此基础上进行了理论层面的探讨。本文的研究试图突破以往的SCM研究仅限于发现事实的局限，尝试对形成特定群体刻板印象背后的社会心理机制进行解释。     

When the Name Says it All: Preschoolers' Recognition and Use of the Gendered Nature of Common Proper Names

By the time they enter preschool children have acquired extensive knowledge of gender stereotypes. There has been little work on their use of this knowledge to make inferences about behavior; there is virtually no information as to how the explicitness of gender-category information influences the reliability of inferences. In two experiments we tested 3-112-year-old children's recognition and use of less-than-explicit, yet highly reliable, cues to gender-category membership: common proper names. In Experiment 1 children reliably associated feminine-stereotyped names with pictures of girls and masculine-stereotyped names with pictures of boys; they did not reliably associate gender-neutral names with pictures of girls and boys. In Experiment 2 children used their knowledge of same-gender-category names to make predictions about the preferences of otherwise sex-unspecified targets; they did not make reliable predictions when the targets were labeled with opposite-gender-category names. In contrast, when the targets were labeled with gendered common nouns (“girl” and “boy”) performance was reliable and was not affected by match or mismatch between the sex of the child and the gender category of the target. The findings indicate differential patterns of development and application of gender-category consistent versus gender-category inconsistent knowledge.     

Social Competence in Preschool Children: Replication of Results and Clarification of a Hierarchical Measurement Model

This study tested assumptions and conclusions reached in an earlier confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) study of the social competence (SC) construct for preschool children. Two samples (total N = 408; a new Portuguese sample and one from US samples that had participated in the original study) contributed data. Seven SC indicators were tested for mean differences across age, sex, and sample. Significant sex differences were found for peer acceptance (favoring girls) and for initiating affectively neutral interactions (boys had higher rates), and the sex by sample interaction also was significant for initiating interactions (i.e., effect significant only in the Portuguese sample). In CFAs, the hypothesized structure of SC fits the data and was invariant across sample and age within sample in both measurement and structural tests. The model was invariant at the measurement level for sex within sample tests, but not at the structural level. The results replicate and extend understandings of SC reported in the original study.     

传统固有观念的心理暗示与中国学生的测试表现

在美国,研究已经多次证明关于智力的否定性固有观念会妨碍受这些固有观念影响的个体的成绩表现。在中国,认为女性在数学上弱于男性的观念已经持续了很长时间。本文通过一项程度颇深的数学和英语测试,对中国大学生进行了关于传统固有观念暗示理论的研究。在数学测试中,研究的假设是：同美国测试者的表现相似,受“性别数学”固有差异观念影响的女性测试者的成绩要比不受固有观念影响的人差;而在英语测试中,研究则假设受“性别语言”固有差异观念影响的男性会比不受此种观念影响的人得分低。然而测试的结果并没有证实这两个假设。研究结果对当今中国现存的社会和教育因素进行了讨论。     

Beyond Women,Children, and Families: Gender,Representation, and Public Funding for the Arts*

Objectives. Research on the impact of female legislators has found that in their voting records women in elective office tend to be more liberal and more supportive of issues of concern to women, children, and families than are men, differences that conform to gender stereotypes held by voters. This article examines another well‐established gender stereotype that is not linked to the traditional concerns of women as conventionally defined by scholars: that women in public office will be more supportive of the arts. Method. The 40 votes taken on arts legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1983–2002, are examined using negative binomial regression in a model that includes district and personal characteristics. Results. Democratic Party membership and support, citizen ideology, urban residence, and gender are significant factors in explaining support for public funding for the arts. Female representatives are more likely than their male colleagues to support the arts, a finding that primarily reflects the greater support of Republican women for the arts in comparison with their male counterparts. Conclusion. This study suggests that substantive representation of women by female elected officials may extend to more policy issues than previous research has documented. Research on issues that are recognized as gendered (e.g., arts policy) but are not traditionally defined as women's issues is an area for further exploration.     

The Nature of Children's Stereotypes of Popularity

The present study investigated what types of attributions and expectations children have about peers who they believe are popular or unpopular with other children. Fourth and fifth grade children (N = 135) were presented with pictures of several unacquainted peers who were described as popular or unpopular (or neither). Children were then told about several hypothetical encounters between themselves and each of the peers and were asked to explain or rate what each peer's response would be to that situation. As hypothesized, children had negative stereotypes about children who they believed were unpopular, while stereotypes about children believed to be popular were a mixture of positive and negative elements. Results confirmed past research in suggesting that a distinction must be made between sociometric and perceived popularity. Gender differences were also discussed, because the stereotypes held by boys and girls differed in several respects.     

Gender Issues in Social Group Work

This introductory essay outlines some of the reasons why a knowledge of gender is important for social group workers. We identify key concepts that are often confounded in our understanding of gender and discuss gender stereotypes and status differences between men and women and their implications for group work; we further discuss how disordered behaviors and social problems are related to these gender role stereotypes and status differences. Finally, we assert that many of the theories underlying social work practice reflect gender stereotypes, and that group work research and theory have largely ignored gender as a variable.