Structural thinking about social categories: Evidence from formal explanations, generics, and generalization

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Philosophy of Mind

Background:

• Traditional theories of kind representation emphasize internal, essence-like factors for category membership.
• An alternative perspective suggests social categories are understood through external, structural factors tied to social position.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the characteristics of structural construal as a form of social kind representation.
• To differentiate between internalist and structural accounts of social categories.
• To examine how these construals influence property generalization and category definitions.

Main Methods:

• Conducted three experimental studies with 281 participants.
• Manipulated the confounding and unconfounding of category membership and social position.
• Analyzed patterns of property generalization, category definitions, and property dispensability.

Main Results:

• Both internalist and structural construals support formal explanations and generic claims when social position and category membership are confounded.
• When unconfounded, distinct generalization patterns emerge for each construal type.
• Judgments about category definitions and property dispensability differ significantly between internalist and structural views.

Conclusions:

• Findings challenge the notion that formal explanations and generic claims are exclusive markers of internalist thinking.
• Structural construal offers a viable alternative framework for understanding social kinds.
• The study has implications for theories of formal explanation, generic language, and social cognition.