How Status and Interdependence Explain Different Forms of Dehumanization

According to the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), the content of stereotypes differs on two dimensions: communion and agency. Research shows that for stereotypes about the general gender categories of “women” and “men,” there is an ambivalent pattern of communion and agency, where high levels on one dimension are associated with low levels on the other. For sexual minority stereotypes, a gender inversion has been found, whereas homosexual women are seen as more similar to men in general than to women in general, whereas homosexual men are seen as more similar to women in general than to men in general. However, there is limited research on how stereotype content for general groups relate to stereotype content for subgroups with intersecting category memberships. This research addresses this gap by investigating stereotype content at the intersection of gender and sexual orientation, including stereotype content for general gender groups, heterosexual groups, homosexual groups, and bisexual groups. In Study 1, a community sample from Sweden (N = 824) rated perceived communion and agency for women and men in general, as well as hetero-, homo-, and bisexual women and men. In Study 2, a nationally representative Swedish sample (N = 424) performed the same rating task, and in addition completed Single-Category IATs (SC-IATs) for warmth and competence. Results from both studies show that the stereotype content for the general categories “women” and “men” overlap with the stereotype content for heterosexual same-gender targets. Homosexual and bisexual groups were rated as more similar to their non-congruent gender category than same gender heterosexual categories were, but stereotype content for sexual minority groups did not overlap with either general gender categories, thus showing only incomplete gender inversion of stereotype content. Implicit associations between “women” and “warmth” were significantly stronger than associations between “men” and “warmth.” There were no other significant relations between implicit associations to warmth/competence and gender or sexual orientation. Theoretical and methodological implications for future research into intersectional stereotype content are presented, including how the findings inform the co-dependent relationship between a binary gender structure and a heteronormative ideology.

Two alternative hypotheses regarding group differentiation on the two fundamental content dimensions of competence and warmth were tested in this study; the first one based on the stereotype content model (SCM) and the other combining SCM with social identity theory and acknowledging the neglected role of group size. In addition, the potential of consensual stereotypes to counter predictions based on SCM was explored. Nationwide, representative samples of high- and low-status Swedish- and Finnish-speaking minority and majority groups in Finland and Sweden (N = 2075) attributed stereotypic traits reflecting the two content dimensions of competence and warmth to the in- and outgroup. In contrast to predictions based on SCM minority groups favoured the ingroup on both competence and warmth, regardless of status, suggesting that the contextual variable group size should be acknowledged in future studies. Also against expectations based on SCM the high-status groups did not differentiate the ingroup on competence; however, only on warmth. Group ratings on specific traits revealed consensual stereotypes for Swedish- and Finnish-speakers across the countries. Results are discussed in relation to ideology, primacy of warmth and group history.

The stereotype content model (SCM) is a prominent model of social perception proposing two dimensions of evaluation: Warmth and competence. Occupational stereotypes have rarely been assessed in this model, especially in the German context, albeit their important impact on how individuals experience gainful occupation and navigate everyday social interactions. Responding to recent methodological critiques regarding the SCM's scale performance, we developed a context‐adapted, well‐performing German‐language SCM scale and assessed warmth and competence ratings of 13 occupational groups in a heterogeneous sample (N = 425). Using the alignment optimization procedure to allow for more reliable latent mean value comparisons, we found occupational stereotypes to differ substantially on both dimensions, with Firefighters presenting the most favorable and Politicians and Unemployed people showing the least favorable evaluations. We discuss our findings in terms of their content‐wise and methodological meaning as well as their implications for research and in occupational contexts.

PurposeDrawing on the stereotype content model (SCM), the authors investigate the stereotype content transfer (in terms of warmth and competence) from country to brand and the simultaneous impact of these two stereotypes on consumer responses toward brands.Design/methodology/approachThe authors test a structural equation model conceptualizing brand stereotypes as full mediators between country stereotypes and consumer outcomes. In addition, in a moderated mediation analysis, the authors investigate the role of brand typicality and utilitarianism/hedonism in potentially moderating the country to brand stereotype content transfer.FindingsCountry warmth and competence, respectively, impact brand warmth and competence, thus confirming the hypothesized stereotype content transfer. This transfer is found to be robust and not contingent on brands' perceived typicality of their country of origin. However, brands' utilitarian nature amplifies the positive impact of country competence on brand competence. Finally, brand stereotypes fully mediate the impact of country stereotypes on consumers' brand attitudes and behavioral intentions.Originality/valueThe authors provide the first empirical attempt that (1) explicitly differentiates between consumers' stereotypical perceptions of countries and stereotypical perceptions of brands from these countries, (2) empirically examines the transfer of stereotypical dimensions of different targets (i.e. country to brand), (3) explores boundary conditions for such transfer and (4) simultaneously considers the impact of both kinds of stereotypes on managerially relevant consumer outcomes.

Using data from two studies, the current research tests the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) within a Malaysian context using Chinese and ethnic Malay participants. The aim of the research is to examine the theoretical underpinnings of the SCM in a new context by investigating the role of aspects of the perceived social structure that have not been considered previously. In line with the SCM it is found that the two dimensions of warmth and competence underlie in-group and out-group stereotypes in Malaysia. In addition, the in-group was evaluated more positively than the out-group on both dimensions. Furthermore, perceived economic social status rather than cultural or power status was related to out-group competence (Study 1), and to out-group warmth (Studies 1 and 2). Higher perceived economic competition was weakly and not consistently associated with less out-group warmth, and political competition was not related to warmth.

Stereotypes are often accidents of history, based on passing configurations of groups' societal interdependence and status. This article overviews our framework for understanding all this: the Stereotype Content Model, focused on two fundamental dimension of intergroup and interpersonal cognition, perceived warmth (from interdependence) and perceived competence (from relative status); then it discusses immigrant images as a case study; next, the article focuses on the toxic and potentially curative effects of each dimension.

According to the stereotype content model (SCM), individuals with disabilities are commonly stereotyped as “warm but dumb.” Thereby, disabilities are used as an umbrella term encompassing various types of disabilities. The current study pursues the question of whether different types of disabilities are associated with different patterns of stereotype content. The relevance of this question has increased since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Students with disabilities or special educational needs (SEN) are increasingly included in regular classrooms, where the social category of students with SEN is particularly salient. Thus, teachers’ stereotypes of these students may be activated more easily and may affect their (teaching) behavior. In the main study, involving N = 57 teachers, we investigated teachers’ stereotypes of students with different types of SEN using the SCM approach. Students with social-emotional disabilities were rated as colder than students with other types of SEN. Students with intellectual disabilities were rated as comparatively incompetent. This pattern of results perfectly matched the results of a pre-study investigating N = 259 German citizens’ stereotypes of people with different types of disabilities. Findings suggest the importance of considering differentiated stereotypes of people with different disabilities or SEN. Moreover, teachers’ stereotypes of students with different SEN appear to be comparable to those regarding disabilities in people outside the school context, implying socially shared stereotypes when differentiating between types of disabilities. We discuss the practical implications of these results in terms of their relevance for school.

A woman's place is in the… startup! Crowdfunder judgments, implicit bias, and the stereotype content model

This research demonstrated that human nature (HN) and human uniqueness (HU) traits capture the content of people’s stereotypes about liberals and conservatives, respectively. Consistent with expectations derived from dehumanization theory, people more strongly associated HN traits with liberals than with conservatives, and more strongly associated HU traits with conservatives than with liberals. A trait × target ideology × perceiver ideology × trait valence interaction suggested that both liberals and conservatives more strongly associated their in-group with stereotype-consistent positive qualities, and their out-group with stereotype-consistent negative qualities. Mediation analyses revealed that out-group antipathy, but not in-group liking, explained the relationship between ideology and political out-group dehumanization. Finally, humanness traits captured subtle differences in political stereotype content not captured with the warmth and competence ratings derived from the stereotype content model. Together, these results indicate that differential attributions of HN and HU traits capture political stereotype content and function to subtly dehumanize one’s political opponents.

Older workers face problems in the labor market due to dominant beliefs about their abilities: they are perceived as reliable, trustworthy, and loyal, but also as less adaptable, less motivated, and less capable compared to younger workers. The mixed beliefs about older workers resonate with the stereotype of older people in society according to the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) of being warm but less competent and are reflected in news and corporate media. The present study contributes by approaching stereotypes about older workers’ employability from a communication perspective. The study examines which requirements are communicated by employers in job advertisements targeting older job seekers, compared to those in job advertisements targeting general job seekers. This is done by using automated content analysis to inductively identify prominently advertised requirements, and to examine how these align with the older workers’ stereotype. Additionally, interviews with recruitment experts are conducted to provide explanation and interpretation. Findings reveal that the persistent idea about older workers performing well on so-called soft abilities and poorer on so-called hard abilities is reflected in job advertisements targeting older job seekers, as these represent requirements related to hard abilities to a lesser extent, whereas abilities related to customer service are more often requested. The mixed beliefs about older workers are reflected in the expert perspective of recruiters too, although with some optimism that older workers’ soft abilities fit well with employers’ need for a social and responsible workforce. The study contributes to insights regarding the SCM and framing theory.

Attitudesstereotypes, their antecedents, emotions (i.e, positiveadmiration, or negative -contempt) and behavioral intention of Georgian students toward the representatives of German-speaking countries are studied.According to the Stereotype Content Model (Fiske et al., 2002;Fiske, 2015), stereotypes of warmth measure to what extent German-speaking people are percived as wishing to harm others and stereotypes of competence -how capable they are considered.According to theory, stereotypes are elicited by the corresponding socio-structural antecedents: perceived international image of German-speaking countries, measured by vitality and perceived threat posed by them, measured by fear of assimilation.Combination of stereotypes of warmth and competence, in turn, elicit corresponding emotions, which might lead to certain behavioral intentions, such as wish of cooperation or avoidance, etc. (Cuddy et al., 2008;Fiske, 2018).The data were collected from 87 native Georgian students using a modified questionnaire from Cuddy, Fiske and Glick's study (2007).The German-speaking out-groups were perceived as competent, having high international status/being vital, eliciting the wish to become similar to the people of German-speaking countries.The hierarchical multiple regression analysis (we entered demographic variablesage and gender -in model 1, vitality and fear of assimilation in model 2 and warmth and competence in model 3) showed that perceived competence of German-speaking group positively predicted the corresponding behavioral outcome: = .48,t = 3.28, p < 0.01, F (9, 56) = 3.55, p < 0.01, R2 change = 0.14, p < 0.01.However, vitality also yielded significant regression coefficient in the previous model: = .29,t = 2.36, p < 0.05, which turned insignificant in the final model.Thus, we conducted mediation analysis, which yielded full mediation: vitality antecedes perceived competence, which, in turn, elicits behavioral intention, TE = 0.66, LLIC = 0.16, ULCI = 1.17;IE = 0.32, LLIC = 0.03, ULCI = 0.56; DE = 0.35, LLIC = -0.12,ULCI = 0.81.The stereotype content model is usually applied to investigate attitudes to the groups in a given society, while we applied this theory to measure attitudes of Georgian students to distant out-group of German-Speaking people, who, mostly, represent the European Union countries (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland and Liechtenstein), and found out that their image on international arena (measured by vitality), predicted wish to become similar to them via eliciting perception of these group as competent.

Promoting Well-being is one of United Nations’ sustainable development goals and it also attracts increasing attentions in tourism research. Based on the stereotype content model (SCM), this study examines the interaction effect of service employees’ language style and tourism activity type on tourist well-being. The mediating effects of perceived pleasure and perceived professionalism is also studied. The theoretical value of this paper is two-fold: First, it is the first study of the adaptability of tourism activities to different language styles and of how this adaptability difference affects tourist hedonia and eudaimonia. The discovery of the interaction effect between tourism activity type and language style also provides a legitimate explanation for resolving the contradiction between humour and seriousness in previous studies. Second, this study sheds new light on the stereotype content model. It introduces two new constructs—perceived pleasure and professionalism and reveals their mediation effect in the interaction effect. These constructs support affective and cognitive evaluations of social judgments. Our findings have important implications for tourism practitioners who seek to develop effective service strategies to enhance tourist well-being and thus promote sustainable tourism.

Sex workers (SW) are subject to social judgment and the associated attitudes, ranging from admiration to contempt. The presence of stereotypical attitudes toward SW is common and can be analyzed using the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), where the concepts of warmth and competence play a central role. The interweaving of both dimensions allows the identification of four emotions and corresponding political positions toward SW: admiration (non-interventionism), pity (abolitionism), contempt (prohibitionism), and fear (regulationism). From the SCM framework, this study offers the construction, validation and performance of a 25-item scale with a snowball sample of 1,543 participants residing in Spanish-speaking countries. The four-factor hypothesized model yielded adequate values. Internal consistency was sufficient on all factors, as was model-based reliability and convergent validity. The scale also showed measurement invariance between gender and age groups, suggesting that the measure is interpreted in a conceptually similar manner by respondents representing different genders or ages. Further analysis revealed that male participants scored significantly higher on admiration. Baby boomers showed less pity and contempt while Millennials showed more fear and less admiration. SW and those who know or work with SW showed less fear and pity and more admiration. The SCM and the process of developing social judgments offer us a way to understand the differences that underlie irreconcilable policy positions. Overcoming these differences requires mutual understanding from scientific frameworks instead of from ideological perspectives.

Using the Stereotype Content Model as a framework for understanding ageism, our two objectives are (1) examining the predictive utility of benevolent ageism on well-being outcomes and (2) identifying conditional relationships between sex, perceived age, benevolent ageism, and well-being outcomes. In a snowball sample of 150 older adults who were 65 years old and older, we examined sex, perceived age, ageism, environmental mastery, and depression. Our benevolent ageism scale is an expanded version of the Ambivalent Ageism Scale that included additional items of accommodation created by us. Environmental mastery and depression were assessed by standard, internally valid, measures. Using regression analyses, we found that benevolent ageism predicted depression above and beyond hostile ageism. Additionally, benevolent ageism uniquely predicted environmental mastery for men, whereas hostile ageism uniquely predicted environmental mastery and depression for women. Finally, perceived age was a better predictor of well-being than chronological age. It is essential to consider how benevolent ageism relates to well-being due to the tenets of the Stereotype Content Model. Additionally, delineating the ways that sex and perceived age contribute to double jeopardy vs. crisis competence in the face of benevolence will lead to a more intricate understanding of the paths in which overaccommodative behaviors relate to well-being in older adulthood.

This experimental investigation uses the stereotype content model (SCM) to explain the biases associated with the perceptions of healthcare providers and the subsequent impact of such biased perceptions. Specifically, the 2 (gender: male, female) by 2 (race: Arab, Caucasian) between-subjects experiment examined the impact of physician race and gender on people’s perceptions regarding physician’s communication competence, trust, and intentions to visit. The findings indicate that female physicians are considered not only warmer but also more competent than male physicians. White physicians are considered less competent overall than their minority counterparts, though no differences in perceived patient-centered communication behaviors were observed. In addition, perceived competence and warmth mediated the effect of physician gender and race (only warmth) on the perceptions of trust, physician’s use of patient-centered communication, and intentions to visit. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.