Suppressing stereotypes paradoxically makes them more accessible later

Evidence

Research on mental control suggests that this commendable line of action may not always be the ideal strategy it seems to be at first sight. Indeed, because suppression apparently activates the very stereotype people wish to combat, stereotypic materials can become even more accessible during later encounters with members of the target group, causing a “rebound” effect of stereotypes on judgment and behavior when suppression is no longer enforced (Macrae, Bodenhausen, Milne, & Jetten, 1994). The paradoxical consequences of suppression are also demonstrated in studies showing that perceivers initially asked to suppress a stereotype later preferentially recalled (Macrae et al., 1996) and recognized (Sherman et al., 1997) stereotype-consistent over stereotype-inconsistent materials presented during the suppression episode. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1181

Categorization

• XREF: A key mechanism for the contact-theory thread — good intentions to suppress stereotypes may backfire, relevant to evaluating intervention effectiveness.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1181