Stereotypicality Moderates Face Recognition

Résumé du livre

Two experiments tested the hypothesis that stereotypic expectancies exacerbate the cross-race effect in face recognition (CRE). Experiment 1 examined this stereotyping hypothesis by pairing cross-race (CR) Black targets and same-race (SR) White targets with either firearms or tools. Given the stereotypic linkage that exists between Blacks and firearms (Correll et al., 2002; Payne, 2001), the stereotyping hypothesis predicts an exacerbated CRE in the firearm relative to tool conditions. Furthermore, it was predicted that this increase should be predicted by the strength of participants" own race-weapon associations. Experiment 2 investigated attentional bias as a possible mechanism for these effects using a dot probe paradigm. Across both experiments, SR faces were better recognized than CR faces (consistent with the CRE), and faces were better recognized in the firearm than tool conditions. Neither the presence of a firearm nor the strength of participants" own race-weapon associations predicted the CRE. Possible theoretical implications for social cognitive models of the CRE and applied implications for eyewitness memory are discussed as well as possible directions for future research.