The influence of implicit theories of personality and intergroup warmth on stereotyping in children
Author(s):
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Rachna Rajkomar, Student, Department of Social Studies
Caroline Ng Tseung, Faculty of Social Studies and Humanities
Implicit theories of personality have been linked to many outcomes in the domain of social perception and stereotyping. An implicit theory is basically what lay people conceive to be real about particular objects (Levy et al., 2006) or assumptions that people hold about the nature of the self and the social world (Fletcher, 1995). Incremental and static theories about the malleability and fixedness of human characteristics (Heyman &
Dweck, 1998) have respectively been linked to differential outcomes in relation to stereotyping (Levy & Dweck, 1999). The researchers found that children with a fixed personality concept made more extreme trait judgments as compared to children with a dynamic notion of people. Having a static or incremental perception of personality affects the perception of intra-group homogeneity as well as stereotyping. However, lay theories of personality are not the only antecedents to stereotyping especially when stereotyping is linked to ethnic groups. Indeed, the social and historical contexts in which intergroup relations are played affect the level of stereotyping so that it is possible that stereotypes and attribution of stereotypes are independent of the implicit theory one may hold and more influenced by levels of intergroup warmth.
The present study therefore attempted to explore the contribution of lay theories of personality in a heightened multicultural context (i.e. Mauritius) on stereotyping.
Measures of implicit theories of personality were taken from Levy and Dweck (1999) together with a measure of intergroup warmth (e.g. Wolsko et al., 2000). Stereotyping was assessed from self -generated traits that participants gave for the four main Mauritian ethnic groups. 171 children (mean age = 11.71; 76 boys and 85 girls) took part in the study and answered a paper and pencil questionnaire. Results showed that most participants held an entity theory of personality (n = 133). Furthermore, a 2 (Theory: incremental, static) by 4 (stereotyping: Hindu, Muslim, Creole, Chinese) MANCOVA with outgroup warmth as a covariate was performed. No significant main effect of theory on stereotyping was found showing that stereotyping of ethnic groups was independent of

the implicit theory held by the participants. There was a significant main effect of outgroup warmth for stereotyping of Muslims ( F (1, 83) = 10.1, p < .05) and Creoles (
F (1, 83) = 5.17, p < .05). This means that participants’ level of warmth towards Muslims and Creoles influenced the level of stereotyping for these two ethnic groups. Results were interpreted with caution because of the small number of incremental theorist amongst the participants. Be that as it may, they were discussed in terms of the influence of the socio-cultural environment on level of stereotyping. As argued by Sani and Benett
(2004) more interaction with other out-group members provide the opportunity to disconfirm or change the nature of stereotypes. It seemed that participants’ experience with members of other groups and not their implicit theories of personality, determined their stereotypical attitudes.
*Correspondence concerning this poster should be addressed to Caroline Ng Tseung,
Psychology Unit, Department of Social Studies, Faculty of Social Studies and
Humanities, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius.[e-mail: c.ngsteung@uom.ac.mu
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