Low mental energy increases reliance on stereotypes for judgment

Evidence

In general, enhanced motivation and sufficient capacity to process fine-grained information increase perceivers’ likelihood of attending to individuating information (rather than applying stereotypes). A striking example comes from a demonstration that “morning people” (vs. “night people”) are more likely to be influenced by their stereotypes when confronted with a judgment task late (vs. early) in the day (Bodenhausen, 1990). In other words, more stereotyping is obtained when perceivers lack the energy to fulfill the judgment task than when they can count on their full intellectual vigor. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1168 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

In sharp contrast with a simple-minded “energy-saving device” view sometimes advocated by social-cognition researchers, a view by which cognitive resources would be associated with a decreased impact of stereotypes, the work on hypothesis confirmation suggests that, when confronted with contradictory evidence, people may devote considerable resources in order to save the structure and content of their categories. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1176 (#expands, via linked claim)

With the participants now often eager to understand the link between this simple exercise and race and ethnicity, trainers explain that implicit biases are not personal but are automatic associations that follow from stereotypes learned from culture, society, and one’s environment. Trainers often emphasize that the fact that biases are implicit does not mean that they dictate our actions, but to prevent them from doing so, we need to be aware that they are operating (Kirwan, 2018). The Stroop test offers an opportunity to show this—by engaging in the exercise a second time and slowing down, participants are able to complete the test successfully and experience themselves overriding their learned behavior. — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 1362 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Stress drives the brain toward cognitively cheaper confirmation bias — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects…, 117; Stereotyping increases when perceivers lack cognitive energy; Stereotypes can enable efficient thought rather than only distort it — Robert Irwin, For Lust of Knowing: The Orientalists…, 505 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Cognitive fatigue increases reliance on stereotypes #corroborates (0.96) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1168
• Stereotypes function as cognitive shortcuts that conserve mental effort #expands (0.92) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1176
• Implicit biases can be consciously overridden through deliberate attention #complicates (0.74) — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 1362