Deborah Prentice
Princeton University
The Perpetuation of Stereotypes Through Inferential Processes
Lazenby Hall, Room 34, at 4:00 PM
Thursday, April 1, 1999
One of the most notable and vexing features of social stereotypes is their
tenacity in the face of concerted attempts to change or eradicate them. My
research seeks the source of that tenacity in the inferences people draw
about ordinary, unremarkable social behavior. I will report on two sets of
studies: The first examines how children's inferences about their own
behavior and the behavior of their peers serve to perpetuate gender
stereotypes, and the second examines how inferences about the source of an
interpersonal disagreement serve to perpetuate a belief in the divisiveness
of group differences. Both of these lines of research highlight the ways
in which stereotypes and other invidious social beliefs are validated by
people's everyday experiences.
Deborah Prentice
Professor
Dept of Psychology, Princeton University
1-C-1A Green Hall
(609) 258-4503
predebb@Princeton.EDU