| Abstract: | ABSTRACT Three studies assessed the content of cultural stereotypes and personal beliefs regarding individuals with dwarfism among “average height” (i.e., non-dwarf) individuals. In Studies 1 and 2, undergraduates from three separate institutions selected adjectives to reflect traits constituting both the cultural stereotype about dwarves and their own personal beliefs about dwarves (cf. Devine & Elliot, 1995 Devine, P. G. and Elliot, A. J. 1995. Are racial stereotypes really fading? The Princeton trilogy revisited. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21: 1139–1150. doi:10.1177/01461672952111002Crossref], Web of Science ®] , Google Scholar]). The most commonly endorsed traits for the cultural stereotype tended to be negative (e.g., weird, incapable, childlike); the most commonly endorsed traits for personal beliefs were largely positive (e.g., capable, intelligent, kind). In Study 3, undergraduates from two separate institutions used an open-ended method to indicate their personal beliefs about dwarves (cf. Eagly, Mladinic, & Otto, 1994 Eagly, A. H., Mladinic, A. and Otto, S. 1994. Cognitive and affective bases of attitudes toward social groups and social policies. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 30: 113–137. doi:10.1006/jesp.1994.1006Crossref], Web of Science ®] , Google Scholar]). Responses contained a mixture of positive and negative characteristics, suggesting a greater willingness to admit to negative personal beliefs using the open-ended method. |
