The Effect of Complementary Stereotypes on Impression Formation: A study of the rich and poor

摘要

To investigate how the stereotypes of the rich and poor affect impression formation, a situational simulation questionnaire is conducted to 192 participants. The experiment is a univariate between-participant design. The independent variable is social group of the target person (rich vs. poor). The dependent variables are rating valence of target person on competence, warmth and moral dimensions. Results show that, by the same neutral behavior, the rich target person has been seen as high competence, mid warmth but low moral; the poor target person has been seen as low competence, mid warmth and mid moral. There is a negative correlation between competence, warmth and moral dimensions. Conclusion: The stereotypes of the rich and poor present complementary characteristics, which bias the impression formation process and affect the explanation and attitude on relevant social events.