After the first few seconds, stereotype activation over the course of time

Abstract

This research explores whether stereotypes that are initially activated upon exposure to a member of a stereotyped group fade over the course of time. Existing stereotype activation research clearly shows that stereotypes can be spontaneously activated upon exposure to members of stereotyped groups (e.g. Fazio, Jackson, Dunton and Williams, 1995; Macrae, Bodenhausen and Milne, 1995). Another line of research shows that information about a person's behaviour can override the impact of a stereotype on impressions of that person (Locksley, Hepburn, Borgida and Brekke, 1980). Perhaps initially activated stereotypes recede into the background as one gets to know the person. In two experiments, participants briefly exposed to a Black person responded faster to Black stereotypic words than did participants exposed to a White person, suggesting that the Black stereotype had been initially activated. But, after prolonged exposure, there was no difference in Black stereotype activation for participants exposed to a Black person and participants exposed to a White person, suggesting that the stereotype had receded.