Bringing Automatic Stereotyping Under Control: Implementation Intentions as Efficient Means of Thought Control

Publication Year
2008

Type

Journal Article
Abstract

The evidence for whether intentional control strategies can reduce automatic stereotyping is mixed. Therefore, the authors tested the utility of implementation intentions--specific plans linking a behavioral opportunity to a specific response--in reducing automatic bias. In three experiments, automatic stereotyping was reduced when participants made an intention to think specific counterstereotypical thoughts whenever they encountered a Black individual. The authors used two implicit tasks and process dissociation analysis, which allowed them to separate contributions of automatic and controlled thinking to task performance. Of importance, the reduction in stereotyping was driven by a change in automatic stereotyping and not controlled thinking. This benefit was acquired with little practice and generalized to novel faces. Thus, implementation intentions may be an effective and efficient means for controlling automatic aspects of thought. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Journal
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Volume
34
Pages
1332–1345
Type of Article
Journal Article
Full text

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Type of Prejudice/Bias
Country
Method