An investigation of the link between attributional judgments and stereotype-based judgments

Three experiments investigated the relationship between the attributions made for stereotype-relevant behavior and stereotype-based judgments. In Experiment 1 participants were presented with a short scenario describing a single stereotypic behavior and were given either a situational or a dispositional explanation for the behavior, before evaluating both the target and the group as a whole on stereotype-based dimensions. As predicted, participants given a situational explanation for the stereotypic behavior described the target and the group in less stereotype-based terms than did baseline participants. In Experiments 2 and 3 participants were presented with a short scenario describing either a single stereotypic or counter-stereotypic behavior but were asked to provide an explanation for the behavior, rather than being given one. As predicted, stereotypic behavior was attributed more strongly to dispositional than situational factors and counter-stereotypic behavior more strongly to situational than dispositional factors. No overall moderation of group-based beliefs relative to baseline was seen in either experiment. Correlations between the attributions and stereotype-based judgments did, however, show a relationship between the strength of the attributions mde for the behaviors and stereotype-based judgments. Implications for the moderation of stereotype-based judgments are discussed.