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Neural gender stereotype asymmetry in bidirectional word-face priming
Luana Serafini1, Francesca Pesciarelli2
1Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, Modena 41100, Italy.
Biological Psychology
|March 11, 2026
Summary
This study reveals distinct neural patterns for processing male and female gender stereotypes, highlighting significant asymmetries in how our brains handle gender-related biases in language and face perception.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
- Psycholinguistics
Background:
- Implicit gender stereotypes influence cognition and behavior.
- Previous research suggests asymmetries in stereotype processing, but the neural underpinnings are not fully understood.
- The interplay between language and face processing in stereotype activation requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the behavioral and neural correlates of implicit gender stereotyping.
- To examine the bidirectional influence of language and face information on stereotype processing.
- To identify asymmetries in the processing of male versus female gender stereotypes.
Main Methods:
- Recorded response times (RTs) and Event-Related Potentials (ERPs).
- Used a priming paradigm with target faces (male/female) preceded by stereotyped words, and target words preceded by faces.
- Participants performed gender categorization and lexical decision tasks.
Main Results:
- Observed typical priming for faces but asymmetrical priming for words.
- Electrophysiological data (ERPs) revealed neural asymmetries in processing gender stereotypes for both faces and words.
- Specific ERP components (P300, LPP, N400) showed differential activation based on stereotype congruence and target gender.
Conclusions:
- Gender stereotype processing exhibits robust neural asymmetries.
- These asymmetries extend beyond language to face processing.
- Male and female biases should be treated as distinct cognitive phenomena in research and interventions.
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