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Published on: April 16, 2014
Perspective-takers behave more stereotypically
Adam D Galinsky1, Cynthia S Wang, Gillian Ku
1Department of Management and Organizations, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. agalinsky@kellogg.northwestern.edu
Taking someone's perspective causes people to adopt their stereotypes, influencing behavior. Cognitive processes, not emotions, drive these effects, showing how stereotypes shape actions.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Perspective-taking is a key social-cognitive process.
- Stereotypes can influence individual thoughts and behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how adopting another's perspective influences the adoption of their stereotypes.
- To examine the behavioral consequences of perspective-taking and stereotype adoption.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized findings from nine studies on perspective-taking and stereotype adoption.
- Utilized various measures and manipulations of perspective-taking.
- Examined behavioral outcomes linked to specific stereotypes.
Main Results:
- Perspective-takers were more likely to adopt both positive and negative stereotypical traits.
- Stereotype adoption, not target liking, mediated behavioral changes.
- Performance varied based on the stereotype adopted (e.g., professor vs. cheerleader).
Conclusions:
- Perspective-taking activates and incorporates stereotypes into self-concept, influencing behavior.
- Cognitive, rather than affective, processes underlie perspective-taking's impact on behavior.
- Findings support theories of perspective-taking as a mechanism for behavioral coordination and priming.
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Stereotype Content Model
Attribution Theory
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