Maintaining a Positive Self-Image by Stereotyping Others: Self-Threat and the Stereotype Content Model

The present study examines how target group's stereotype content (on warmth and competence dimensions) influences subsequent target evaluation following self-threat related to one's competence. Participants first received threatening or non-threatening feedback on their competence. They evaluated then a job candidate who was stereotyped either as competent and cold (Asian) or as warm and incompetent (working mother). As predicted, threatened participants derogated only the Asian target on her perceived warmth and her suitability for a job, but did not derogate the working mother. Moreover, perceived warmth mediated the observed differences in the evaluation of the targets' job suitability. These results extend research on self-threat and prejudice by including Stereotype Content Model in this link.