The effect of inconsistency on the categorization of people

Keywords:
categorization of people, inconsistency, effect, discrimination
Abstract
Does inconsistent information about others produce more discrimination of people and lead to alternative ways of categorizing? In a pretest-posttest control group design with 10 participants randomly assigned to an inconsistency group and a control group, judges rated photo-persons once before and once after treatment. During treatment, participants formed impressions of photo-persons based on inconsistent trait combinations. The results indicate that inconsistency produced more discrimination of others, but the effect was limited to those constructs directly involved in inconsistency. Inconsistency also produced alternative ways of categorizing others, but the effect was limited by systematic individual differences.
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Published
1976-02-01
Section
Articles
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