Stereotype formation by inference: a possible explanation for the "stutterer" stereotype

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Speech and Language Pathology

Background:

• The stereotype of the stuttering personality is prevalent but its origins are not fully understood.
• Existing beliefs may influence perceptions of individuals who stutter.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the hypothesis that the stuttering personality stereotype originates from inferences about internal variables accompanying disfluencies in normally fluent speakers.
• To investigate the relationship between perceptions of stutterers and perceptions of normally fluent speakers experiencing temporary disfluencies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 25 bipolar rating scales, previously used in related research.
• Obtained personality ratings from two groups of 40 students for two targets: the typical adult male stutterer and a normally fluent speaker during a disfluent spell.
• Correlated mean ratings across scales for both targets.

Main Results:

• Mean ratings for both targets were highly correlated across the 25 rating scales.
• The results supported the hypothesis that perceptions are similar.

Conclusions:

• The stereotype of the stuttering personality may be formed by judgments made under uncertainty, rather than solely from motivational factors.
• Findings suggest that negative stereotypes associated with stuttering could arise from inferring personality traits from transient speech disfluencies.