Stereotype Hamilton and Gifford (1976)

Participants

104 ppts, Two groups, one large Group A (which was made up of 26 people) and one small Group B (which was made up of 13 people).

Cognitive bias may be relevant to stereotypes

After illusory correlations are formed, people actively seek to confirm and support their beliefs by looking for evidence in a "biased" way, which is known as confirmation bias.

Conclusion

Group B and negative behaviours are both numerically fewer and therefore more distinct than Group A and negative behaviour, therefore, stands out more than the combination of Group A members performing such behaviours causing illusory correlation.

Illusory Correlation (Social Cognitive Theory)

Hamilton and Gifford (1976) argued that stereotypes formed through a type of cognitive bias, "a person"s tendency to make errors in judgement based on cognitive factors

strengths

lab-experiment - confounding variables controlled group A and B were abstract to prevent previously existing association to any group

limitations

only limited to situations where people evaluate groups in a memory-based fashion inhibited when there are excessive demands on individual's attention lacking ecological validity DC is high due to lab exp

Results:

-No correlation between group membership and the types of behaviours. -More of the undesirable behaviours were attributed to the minority Group B, than the majority of Group A.

Method

-Researchers asked participants to read descriptions about two made-up groups (Group A) and (Group B). -Descriptions were based on a number of positive and negative behaviours. Group A - performed 18 positive and 8 negative behaviours. Group B - performed 9 positive and 4 negative behaviours. -Asked to attribute behaviours the other group.

Discrimination and prejudice and affect the behaviour of those who create the stereotype and also those who are stereotyped.

Stereotyping may lead to

Aim

To investigate illusory correlation of group size and negative behaviour.