Group stereotypes: Their content, importance, correlation, and impact

This chapter reviews several dimensional models of stereotypes. We begin by discussing the number and content of the dimensions on which people describe societal groups. We then explain how the order of importance of the stereotype dimensions depends on both the index of importance (primacy, positivity, priority, or prevalence) as well as goals and motives. Next, we discuss some situational and personal variables that moderate the sign and size of the correlations between stereotype dimensions. Finally, we review some research on the behavioral consequences of stereotyping groups on these dimensions. The chapter focuses on several models that have engaged in an ongoing adversarial collaboration on stereotype dimensions to give a balanced overview of the fascinating topic of dimensional stereotypes.