With or Without You

Abstract

The present research was designed to investigate the consequences of suppressing social stereotypes on behavior in intrapersonal and interpersonal contexts. In two experiments, the authors manipulated the behavioral context in which postsuppression effects were measured. In intrapersonal contexts, postsuppression behavior was consistent with the suppressed stereotype (assimilation behavior). Conversely, in interpersonal contexts, postsuppression behavior was appropriate to interacting with a member of the group whose stereotype was suppressed (response behavior). The authors conclude that stereotypes activated via suppression can alter one’s behavior in multiple ways, depending on the context in which the behavior takes place.