Perceived consensus influences intergroup behavior and stereotype accessibility.

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Intergroup Relations
• Social Cognition

Background:

• Previous research highlights the influence of others on individual thoughts and behaviors.
• Intergroup attitude studies traditionally focus on direct exposure to out-group members.
• The impact of perceived social consensus on intergroup attitudes remains less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how learning about shared intergroup beliefs influences attitudes and behaviors.
• To examine the effect of social consensus on stereotype representation and accessibility.
• To test the hypothesis that perceived group agreement shapes intergroup cognition.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted to test the central hypothesis.
• Experiment 1 assessed the impact of shared/unshared beliefs on attitudes and behaviors.
• Experiment 2 explored the mechanism of stereotype accessibility influenced by social consensus.

Main Results:

• Learning that intergroup beliefs are shared or not shared significantly altered attitudes and behaviors.
• The strength of the attitude-behavior relationship was influenced by perceived belief sharing.
• Stereotype accessibility and related stereotype activation were affected by knowledge of others' shared stereotypes.

Conclusions:

• Social consensus regarding intergroup beliefs is a significant determinant of individual intergroup attitudes and behaviors.
• Perceived agreement with others influences the accessibility and representation of stereotypes.
• Understanding social influence is crucial for addressing prejudice and intergroup conflict.