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Processing goal as moderator of in‐group‐serving illusory correlations
Author(s) -
Knippenberg Daan,
Knippenberg Ad,
Dijksterhuis Ap
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8309.1997.tb01142.x
Subject(s) - psychology , expectancy theory , moderation , social psychology , recall , impression formation , memorization , group (periodic table) , free recall , cognitive psychology , social perception , perception , chemistry , organic chemistry , neuroscience
This study tested the hypothesis that the effect of in‐group‐serving expectancy biases on memory and judgment is moderated by processing goal. In‐group‐serving biases in both recall and judgments (estimated frequencies of desirable and undesirable in‐group and out‐group behaviour, evaluative ratings) were hypothesized to be stronger when processing goal interfered with online impression formation compared with when attention is focused on the formation of group impressions. This hypothesis was tested in an illusory correlation experiment in which in‐group‐serving expectancy bias and infrequency bias (Hamilton & Gifford, 1976) could be studied simultaneously. Participants read statements describing desirable and undesirable behaviour of members of the in‐group and out‐group, while the in‐group held either minority or majority status, while participants were instructed either to form group impressions or to memorize the information. As predicted, memorizing compared with impression formation resulted in in‐group‐serving illusory correlations in recall and frequency estimates and in in‐group bias in group evaluations. Infrequency of occurrence affected recall and judgments irrespective of processing goal. The implications of these results for social stereotyping are discussed.