ABSTRACT
The subject of stereotypes constitutes a substantial chapter in the annals of social psychology. Historically, its roots are often traced back to Lippman’s (1922) famous “pictures in the head” metaphor. This metaphor drew attention to the perilous discrepancy between mental pictures and the reality to which they were supposed to refer. It is therefore not surprising that this dangerous residue of our “mental life” presents a fascinating subject. The chief idea is that such pictures shape people’s views of the social world. Obviously, an improved understanding of the psychological mechanisms that drive stereotypes is important on its own right. However, the significance of this focus becomes more self-evident, since understanding this phenomenon can also furnish possible routes to responsibly taming these “irrational” forces and paving the way for society to become a “better” place. It is therefore not surprising that there are diverse research traditions focusing on stereotypes. For instance, there is a substantial literature on cognitive processes underlying stereotypes (for reviews, see Brown, 1995; Fiske, 1998; Macrae & Bodenhausen, 2000). Another research emphasis that was popular in the 1930s (e.g., Katz & Braly, 1933) is gaining renewed prominence, namely the content of stereotypes (e.g., Fiske, Cuddy, Glick, & Xu, 2002). A further research focus is to be found in the treatment of stereotypes as social representations (cf. Stangor & Lange, 1994) that are driven by norms and constitute “collective” or “cultural” guidelines (see Stangor & Shaller, 1996).
