StereotypesStereotypes© 2013, John B. Pryor© 2013, John B. Pryor

Illinois State UniversityIllinois State University

List some characteristics you might think that these women

would possess.......

1 2

List some characteristics you might think that these men

would possess.......

22 331

Concepts of beauty

vary from culture

to culture

Woman fromWestern Europe

Zulu Woman

Masai Woman - Kenya

IndianWoman

Thai Dancer

20’s 30’s 40’s 50’s 60’s

7070’’ss 8080’’ss 9090’’ss

Miss Miss AmericaAmericaacrossacrossthe decadesthe decades

Concepts of beauty vary somewhat over history...Concepts of beauty vary somewhat over history...

Miss America Miss America 20072007

Your ideal?Your ideal?

Miss America Miss America 20102010

Miss America 2013

First Miss America of Indian descent

What facial features are What facial features are found most attractive?found most attractive?

Langolis, Roggman, & Musselman (1994)Langolis, Roggman, & Musselman (1994) Evolutionary pressures favor human Evolutionary pressures favor human

attributes close to the populationattributes close to the population Cognitive processes favor prototypical Cognitive processes favor prototypical

category memberscategory members ““Average-is-attractiveAverage-is-attractive”” hypothesis hypothesis Computer average faces are judged as Computer average faces are judged as

more attractivemore attractive

What is beautiful is good!!What is beautiful is good!!Physically attractive people are Physically attractive people are

perceived as more:perceived as more:

sensitve, modest,sensitve, modest,

poised, interesting, strong, poised, interesting, strong, sociable, kind, warm,sociable, kind, warm,

socially adept, andsocially adept, and

sexually responsivesexually responsive

Beauty & Gender Stereotypes

Handsome men are perceived as more masculine

Beautiful women are perceived as more feminine

Method from Snyder, Tanke, & Berscheid

Males & females isolated in separate rooms

Both fill out general information questionnaire – Photo is taken of male

Experimenter takes up questionnaires attaches either attractive or unattractive

photo of a female to her questionnaire detaches male photo

Method from Snyder, Tanke, & Berscheid

Experimenter exchanges male/female questionnaires

Male rates his expectations of female Male & female interact over telephone Male rates his impressions of female Independent judges rate their

impressions of the females without hearing what the male said

Female’s Interpretation

How expectations influence behavior

Male’s Expectation

Male’s Behavior

Male’s Interpretation

Female’s Behavior

after Darley& Fazio

Newborn infants are assumed to have Newborn infants are assumed to have more positive characteristics if they are more positive characteristics if they are attractive as opposed to unattractiveattractive as opposed to unattractive

Stability of the Attractiveness Stereotype over Lifespan

Newborns donNewborns don’’t show a preference, t show a preference, but one year olds react more favorably but one year olds react more favorably to attractive than unattractive adultsto attractive than unattractive adults

Stability of the Attractiveness Stereotype over Lifespan

People assume that individuals 60-93 People assume that individuals 60-93 have more desirable personality traits if have more desirable personality traits if they are attractivethey are attractive

Is there a down side to being Is there a down side to being physicaly attractive?physicaly attractive?

Other people sometimes attribute an Other people sometimes attribute an attractive personattractive person’’s success to good s success to good lookslooks

Attractive women often are assumed to Attractive women often are assumed to be vain & materialisticbe vain & materialistic

Attractiveness is a plus for male Attractiveness is a plus for male politicians, but not femalepoliticians, but not female

Describe yourself

1.Not at all independent Very independent 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

2.Not at all emotional Very emotional 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

3.Very passive Very active 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

4. Not at all able Able to devote self

to devote self to devote self completely completely

to others to others 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

5. Very rough Very gentle 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

Describe yourself

6. Not at all helpful Very helpful to others to others 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

7. Not at all competitive Very competitive 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

8.Not at all kind Very kind 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

Describe yourself

9.Not at all aware of Very aware offeelings of others feelings of others

0..........1..........2..........3..........4

10. Has difficulty Can make making decisions decisions easily 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

11. Gives up Never gives very easily up easily 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

Describe yourself

12.Not at all Very self- self- confident confident 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

13. Feels very inferior Feels very superior 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

14. Not at all Very understanding understanding

of others of others 0..........1..........2..........3..........4

Describe yourself

15. Very cold Very warm

in relations in relations

with others with others

0..........1..........2..........3..........4

16. Goes to pieces Stands up well

under pressure under pressure

0..........1..........2..........3..........4

Describe yourself

Masculine Scale: Items 1,3,7,10,11,12,13,16 Feminine Scale: Items 2,4,5,6,8,9,14,15

MEDIANSMales Females

Masculine Scale 23 21

Feminine Scale 22 25

Scoring the PAQ

Androgynous

TraditionalFeminine

TraditionalMasculine

Undifferentiated

Above Medianfor Masculine

Below Medianfor Masculine

Above Medianfor Feminine

Above Medianfor Feminine

Below Medianfor Feminine

Below Medianfor Feminine

AndrogynyAndrogyny: : definitiondefinition - -

having characteristics of having characteristics of both sexesboth sexes

Greek roots:Greek roots:andrandr--man--man

gynegyne--woman--woman

Bem’s Flexibility Hypothesis

Androgynous females can act more independent if the situation calls for independence.

Androgynous males can act more caring (nurturent) if the situation calls for nurturence

Which pair of strangers Which pair of strangers hits it off more?hits it off more?

Androgynous Male &Androgynous Male &Androgynous FemaleAndrogynous Female

Androgynous Male &Androgynous Male &Sex-typed FemaleSex-typed Female

Sex-typed Male &Sex-typed Male &Androgynous FemaleAndrogynous Female

Sex-typed Male &Sex-typed Male &Sex-typed FemaleSex-typed Female

from Ickes & Layden

Experimental Design from Andersen & Bem