The Vicissitudes of Paternalistic Stereotypes: Is Warmth Toward Socially Protected Groups Authentic?

The present endeavor examines whether paternalistic stereotypes, associating some low-status groups with low competence but high warmth, are always genuine. We propose that not all individuals are sincere in their evaluations as their judgments of warmth are likely driven by normative concerns. Study 1 (N = 201) confirmed the relationship between paternalistic stereotypes and perceived normative protection. Three additional studies manipulated participants' beliefs about whether their true opinion could be uncovered or was socially expected. Specifically, individuals with high external motivation to respond without prejudice rated socially protected groups more harshly, especially on warmth, when they faced a bogus pipeline (Study 2, N = 160) or when norms emphasized honesty (Studies 3a and 3b, Ns = 137 and 247). These findings show the greater versatility of warmth compared to competence evaluations and provide new insights into why members of protected groups may continue to experience discrimination.