The effect of anxiety on impression formation: Affect-congruent or stereotypic biases?
Authors: Curtis, Guy J.1; Locke, Vance2
Source: British Journal of Social Psychology, Volume 44, Number 1, March 2005 , pp. 65-83(19)
Publisher: British Psychological Society
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Abstract:
Two classes of theories propose that anxious individuals will form either more affect-congruent or more stereotypic impressions of others. These theories' predictions are not mutually exclusive. Eighty-one participants were examined to determine if either class of theories was more descriptive of the effect of anxiety on impression formation or whether a theory combining elements of both was more appropriate. Anxious participants read behavioural descriptions about an Australian Aboriginal target that were stereotypic, non-stereotypic, threatening, and non-threatening, and rated the target on traits that corresponded to the behavioural descriptions. Anxious participants formed impressions that were more affect-congruent, but not more stereotypic, than those formed by control participants. This result was replicated in a field study with 61 participants who were waiting to see a dentist. Future studies should examine the cognitive mechanisms that influence and underlie anxious affect-congruent impression formation.Document Type: Abstract
DOI: 10.1348/014466604X23464
Affiliations: 1: University of Western Sydney, Australia 2: University of Western Australia, Australia
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