The Bibliographic Contour of Social Psychology

ABSTRACT

The stereotype content model (SCM) posits that warmth and competence are the key components underlying judgments about social groups. Because competence can encompass different components (e.g., intelligence, talent) different group members may be perceived to be competent for different reasons. Therefore, we believe it may be important to specify the type of competence being assessed when examining perceptions of groups that are positively stereotyped (i.e., Black athletes and musical Blacks). Consistent with the SCM, these subgroups were perceived as high in competence-talent but not in competence-intelligence and low in warmth. Both the intelligence and talent frame of competence fit in the SCM's social structural hypothesis.     

Dehumanizing the lowest of the low: neuroimaging responses to extreme out-groups

Traditionally, prejudice has been conceptualized as simple animosity. The stereotype content model (SCM) shows that some prejudice is worse. The SCM previously demonstrated separate stereotype dimensions of warmth (low-high) and competence (low-high), identifying four distinct out-group clusters. The SCM predicts that only extreme out-groups, groups that are both stereotypically hostile and stereotypically incompetent (low warmth, low competence), such as addicts and the homeless, will be dehumanized. Prior studies show that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is necessary for social cognition. Functional magnetic resonance imaging provided data for examining brain activations in 10 participants viewing 48 photographs of social groups and 12 participants viewing objects; each picture dependably represented one SCM quadrant. Analyses revealed mPFC activation to all social groups except extreme (low-low) out-groups, who especially activated insula and amygdala, a pattern consistent with disgust, the emotion predicted by the SCM. No objects, though rated with the same emotions, activated the mPFC. This neural evidence supports the prediction that extreme out-groups may be perceived as less than human, or dehumanized.     

Warm,but Maybe Not So Competent?—Contemporary Implicit Stereotypes of Women and Men in Germany

A fundamental model of stereotypes, the stereotype content model (SCM, Fiske et al. 2002), postulates that stereotypes of many social groups vary on two core dimensions: warmth and competence. In line with traditional gender stereotypes, the SCM predicts women to be perceived as warmer than men, and men to be perceived as more competent than women. Research on implicit measurement of stereotypes suggests that, next to people’s underlying beliefs, a major predictor is the tendency to favor one’s own group (Rudman et al. 2001). We examined gender stereotypes concerning warmth and competence, using implicit association tests (IATs, Greenwald et al. 1998) and drawing on diverse samples of women and men in eastern and western Germany (i.e., students and non-students; total N?=?384). On the warmth dimension, an overall women-warmth stereotype was found, confirming predictions of the SCM. On the competence dimension, associations of own gender and competence were observed for both men and women, suggesting the impact of self-favoring processes. Findings are discussed with respect to social role theory (Eagly 1987) and the changing roles of women.     

Warmth and competence in animals

Social‐perception dimensions may explain human‐animal relationships because animals show intent toward humans (social perception's warmth dimension) and, consequently, their potential effect on humans is relevant (competence dimension). After reviewing current literature about perceptions of animals’ ascribed intentions and abilities, three studies tested the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick, & Xu, 2002) and the Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes Map (Cuddy, Fiske, & Glick, 2007) regarding animal targets. Study 1 found a four‐cluster SCM structure. Warmth and competence judgments predicted specific emotions and behavioral tendencies toward animals (Study 2). Study 3 supported associations between animals and social groups based on their respective perceived warmth and competence. Taken together, results showed the relevance of SCM dimensions for social perception of animals.     

Perceived social structural relations and group stereotypes: A test of the Stereotype Content Model in Malaysia

Using data from two studies, the current research tests the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) within a Malaysian context using Chinese and ethnic Malay participants. The aim of the research is to examine the theoretical underpinnings of the SCM in a new context by investigating the role of aspects of the perceived social structure that have not been considered previously. In line with the SCM it is found that the two dimensions of warmth and competence underlie in‐group and out‐group stereotypes in Malaysia. In addition, the in‐group was evaluated more positively than the out‐group on both dimensions. Furthermore, perceived economic social status rather than cultural or power status was related to out‐group competence (Study 1), and to out‐group warmth (Studies 1 and 2). Higher perceived economic competition was weakly and not consistently associated with less out‐group warmth, and political competition was not related to warmth.     

刻板印象内容模型：理论假设及研究

介绍了刻板印象内容模型(SCM)的来源、理论假设和在美国与欧洲(个人主义文化)、东亚(集体主义文化)样本中的实证研究。SCM假设:(1)用热情和能力区分不同群体的刻板印象;(2)对外群体的刻板印象是混合的;(3)高社会地位群体被刻板为具有高能力,竞争性群体被刻板为缺乏热情;(4)刻板印象中存在参照群体偏好和外群体贬抑。在比较和评价SCM与其他理论的基础上,提出了刻板印象内容研究进一步细化和扩展的方向     

情境对“热情优先效应”的影响——基于同伴提名法的检验

本研究同时从热情和能力维度独立和互依视角,采用同伴提名法考察社交与工作导向情境对“热情优先效应”的增强与削弱作用。结果发现：（1）社交导向情境下表现出明显的“热情优先效应”;（2）工作导向情境对能力的突显效应与“热情优先效应”的表现相反：在热情与能力独立视角下,情境的削弱效应使得“热情优先效应”无法表现;而在热情与能力互依视角下,“热情优先效应”则强于情境对其的削弱效应。     

Multiple-group membership: warmth and competence perceptions in the workplace

What kinds of stereotypes are evoked when employers review a job application from a 55-year-old Arab woman? Most previous research on stereotypes has focused on single demographic group categories (e.g., race or gender) rather than on their combinations, even though people inevitably belong to multiple group categories simultaneously. The current study examines how different combinations of demographic group categories (ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and age) are perceived in the context of the workplace, with a focus on two fundamental dimensions of social perception: warmth and competence. The results reveal interesting interactions among the studied demographic group categories such that when stigmatized group categories are added to one another, it does not necessarily produce additive negative effects on warmth and competence perceptions. Rather, one category that is perceived negatively in isolation (e.g., homosexuality) can offset the negative impact of another stigmatized category (e.g., Arab ethnicity). Practical implications for stereotyping and discrimination in the workplace are discussed.

     

Predicting pleasure at others’ misfortune: Morality trumps sociability and competence in driving deservingness and schadenfreude

Schadenfreude occurs when people feel pleasure at others’ misfortunes. Previous research suggested that individuals feel such a malicious pleasure when the misfortune befalls social targets perceived as highly competent but lacking human warmth. Two experiments explored whether the two components of warmth (i.e., sociability and morality) have distinct roles in driving schadenfreude. Study 1 (N = 128) compared a competent but immoral individual to a competent but unsociable person and found that people felt more schadenfreude when a misfortune befell an individual lacking morality. Study 2 (N = 199) confirmed the primary role of morality in driving schadenfreude by manipulating not only morality and sociability, but also competence. Moreover, both experiments showed that social targets lacking moral qualities elicited higher levels of schadenfreude because their misfortunes were perceived as deserved. Overall, our findings suggest that morality has a primary role over other basic dimensions of person perception (i.e., sociability and competence) in driving schadenfreude.     

Navigating Public Prejudices: The Impact of Media and Attitudes on High-Profile Female Political Leaders

Predictions from the stereotype content model (SCM; Fiske et al. 2002) that suggest high-status career women are perceived as competent but cold were tested with a sample of college students in California (N?=?294; 51% female; M age?=?21.49). Participants completed measures of sexism and attitude extremity, read a positive or negative article about a female senator, and rated her warmth and competence. Results indicate positive media coverage counteracts the competent but cold prediction of the SCM. In the context of negative media, extreme hostile sexism predicted evaluations of low warmth and competence; however, males with less extreme sexist attitudes had greater warmth and competence evaluations. Results are discussed in relation to the SCM and worldview confirmation hypothesis.     

Stereotypes of Norwegian social groups

We present a pilot study and two main studies that address the nature of stereotypes of social groups in Norway within the framework of the Stereotype Content Model (SCM). The first study focused on stereotypes of a wide range of groups across categories such as gender, age, religious conviction, socioeconomic and health status. The second study focused on stereotypes of immigrant groups. Participants (n = 244 and n = 63, respectively) rated the groups on perceived warmth, competence, status, and competition. Results from both studies support the applicability of the SCM in Norway and provides a unique insight into stereotypes of Norwegian social groups.     

Projecting Lower Competence to Maintain Moral Warmth in the Avoidance of Prosocial Requests

When faced with prosocial requests, consumers face a difficult decision between taking on the request's burden or appearing unwarm (unkind, uncaring). We propose that the desire to refuse such requests while protecting a morally warm image leads consumers to under‐represent their competence. Although consumers care strongly about being viewed as competent, five studies showed that they downplayed their competence to sidestep a prosocial request. This effect occurred across both self‐reported and behavioral displays of competence. Further, the downplaying competence effect only occurred when facing an undesirable prosocial request, not a similarly undesirable proself request. The final studies showed that people specifically downplayed competence and not warmth. We further distinguished between social warmth (e.g., humor) and moral warmth (e.g., kindness), showing that when competence, social warmth, and moral warmth were all requisite skills for a prosocial task, people downplayed competence and social warmth more than moral warmth. These findings underscore that although people care strongly about being viewed as competent, they willingly trade off competence evaluations if evaluations of warmth—particularly moral warmth—are at risk.     

情境线索对社会认知内容推断的影响

本研究考察了情境线索对社会目标不同内容维度之间的推断的影响。研究一发现,缺乏情境线索时,两个基本维度热情和能力之间呈一种正向推断。研究二发现,当情境线索明确指向高能力时,高热情描述会导致低能力推断,同时也引发了消极的行为倾向。研究三进一步考察了热情的两个子维度社交性和道德性之间的推断,结果发现描述社交性职业的社交性信息或者描述道德性职业的道德性信息时,对目标对象的整体评价和行为意愿都更为积极。本研究表明,情境的预期性线索为社会认知内容的推断提供了基本的认知框架,当信息呈现与情境预期相匹配时,更容易产生积极推断。     

情境线索对社会认知内容推断的影响

本研究考察了情境线索对社会目标不同内容维度之间的推断的影响。研究一发现,缺乏情境线索时,两个基本维度热情和能力之间呈一种正向推断。研究二发现,当情境线索明确指向高能力时,高热情描述会导致低能力推断,同时也引发了消极的行为倾向。研究三进一步考察了热情的两个子维度社交性和道德性之间的推断,结果发现描述社交性职业的社交性信息或者描述道德性职业的道德性信息时,对目标对象的整体评价和行为意愿都更为积极。本研究表明,情境的预期性线索为社会认知内容的推断提供了基本的认知框架,当信息呈现与情境预期相匹配时,更容易产生积极推断。     

Gender bias in caregiving professions: The role of perceived warmth

One hypothesized reason for why a disproportionately low number of men enter caregiving fields is how such men are perceived. In two studies, drawing upon the Stereotype Content Model and the lack‐of‐fit model, we tested whether men would encounter more social (e.g., likeability bias) and economic (e.g., hiring or job opportunity bias) penalties than women in caregiving professions due to perceptions that men are less warm than women. In all three studies, we created job or employment materials in which the gender of the candidate or employee was manipulated. In Study 1, a female preschool teacher received higher warmth ratings than a male preschool teacher, which in turn predicted preference for the female teacher over the male teacher. In Study 2, a female social worker was rated more highly in warmth and job hireability than a male social worker; warmth also mediated the relationships between gender and both likeability and job hireability. In Study 3, a male preschool teacher was rated lower in warmth, likeability, job hireability, and job suitability than both a female preschool teacher and a preschool teacher with an unspecified gender. There were no differences between perceived competence of men and women in caregiving positions when competence was assessed. Implications for the factors that predict adverse reactions to and penalties against men in caregiving occupations, as well as interventions to combat the potential negative effects of such penalties on men's interest in caregiving careers, are discussed.     

社会认知中热情与能力的补偿效应

刻板印象内容模型(SCM)提出了热情与能力社会认知维度, 这两个维度之间存在着特殊的补偿效应。补偿效应是在比较两个基本维度的情境下, 为了区分两个社会目标, 通过热情与能力之间的补偿使社会目标形成反差的一种倾向。其心理机制可能通过对比效应、系统公正理论或混合印象预期理论来解释。可以通过直接和间接的方法来测量补偿效应。补偿效应包括单维补偿和双维补偿两种基本类型, 其中单维补偿又可分为能力补偿热情以及热情补偿能力两种。补偿效应的研究仍处于起步阶段, 其理论研究和实际应用研究仍需要进一步深化和扩展。     

Low-level orientation information for social evaluation in face images

Observers make a range of social evaluations based on facial appearance, including judgments of trustworthiness, warmth, competence, and other aspects of personality. What visual information do people use to make these judgments? While links have been made between perceived social characteristics and other high-level properties of facial appearance (e.g., attractiveness, masculinity), there has been comparatively little effort to link social evaluations to low-level visual features, like spatial frequency and orientation sub-bands, known to be critically important for face processing. We explored the extent to which different social evaluations depended critically on horizontal orientation energy vs. vertical orientation energy, as is the case for face identification and emotion recognition. We found that while trustworthiness judgments exhibited this bias for horizontal orientations, competence and dominance did not, suggesting that social evaluations may depend on a multi-channel representation of facial appearance at early stages of visual processing.     

Coping, competence, and aggression prevention: Part 1. Developmental model

According to coping-competence theory, current challenge encounters determine future life outcomes and competence. This theory provides a testable causal model of the development of persistent aggression. The model suggests that protective circumstances enable resilient youth to cope prosocially (helping self without harming others) even with uncontrollable challenges. Unprepared for language-based prosocial coping, high-risk youths' antisocial coping yields adverse life outcomes (e.g., school expulsion, teen pregnancy, police arrest). Each adverse outcome increases future antisocial coping, threatens future competence (i.e., self-definition, social reputation, dominant coping strategy), and aggravates status on risk-protection variables (i.e., parent warmth and skill, child temperament and intelligence). The same structural model may apply across the lifespan with changes in indicators and weighting of constructs during key developmental transitions. Part 2 presents the model's prevention implications.     

Influence of warmth and competence on the promotion of safe in-group selection: Stereotype content model and social categorization of faces

Categorizing an individual as a friend or foe plays a pivotal role in navigating the social world. According to the stereotype content model (SCM), social perception relies on two fundamental dimensions, warmth and competence, which allow us to process the intentions of others and their ability to enact those intentions, respectively. Social cognition research indicates that, in categorization tasks, people tend to classify other individuals as more likely to belong to the out-group than the in-group (in-group overexclusion effect, IOE) when lacking diagnostic information, probably with the aim of protecting in-group integrity. Here, we explored the role of warmth and competence in group-membership decisions by testing 62 participants in a social-categorization task consisting of 150 neutral faces. We assessed whether (a) warmth and competence ratings could predict the in-group/out-group categorization, and (b) the reliance on these two dimensions differed in low-IOE versus high-IOE participants. Data showed that high ratings of warmth and competence were necessary to categorize a face as in-group. Moreover, while low-IOE participants relied on warmth, high-IOE participants relied on competence. This finding suggests that the proneness to include/exclude unknown identities in/from one's own in-group is related to individual differences in the reliance on SCM social dimensions. Furthermore, the primacy of the warmth effect seems not to represent a universal phenomenon adopted in the context of social evaluation.     

“凭感觉”的热情与能力：社会认知内容的生理线索

热情与能力是解析社会认知的普适性框架,同现实情境中诸多要素存在着关联。与众多明显带有社会属性的要素相比,源自面孔或者颜色的视觉、声音的听觉、身体姿态的动觉、温度变化的肤觉等生理线索,也可以跟热情与能力的社会知觉产生关联,这个过程可能基于生理–社会的知觉联结假设或者知觉启动假设而发生。以生理–社会的知觉关系为切入点,热情与能力更能发挥解析具体情境的灵活性。侧重典型生理线索的挖掘、建立生理线索同热情与能力的组态关系,以及这种关系对社会性偏向的影响,将有助于推进热情与能力融入更为广泛的社会应用之中。