For better or worse, perspective-taking reduces all stereotyping Seminar

Perspective-taking has been demonstrated to reduce stereotyping for negative targets and traits. However, less is known about how perspective-taking affects stereotyping of positive targets and traits. Because stereotyping and negativity have been inextricably intertwined empirically, a fundamental unanswered question is whether perspective-taking reduces stereotyping of both negative and positive targets and traits (e.g., African Americans are judged as less aggressive and doctors are judged as less smart) or whether perspective-taking produces a positivity effect with less stereotyping of negative targets/traits and more stereotyping of positive targets/traits (e.g., African Americans are judged as less aggressive and doctors are judged as smarter).

Using both negative and positive targets, both negative and positive traits, and both measures and manipulations of perspective-taking, three studies demonstrate that perspective-taking results in less stereotyping, regardless of the valence of the targets and traits. In addition, two studies demonstrate that perspective-taking results in more positive attitudes towards negative targets, but more negative attitudes towards positive targets. Our fifth study demonstrates that reduced stereotyping mediates perspective-taking's effects on attitudes towards positive and negative targets. Overall, the research provides a more complete understanding of perspective-taking's effects and mechanism.