Interpersonal Stereotypes

Interpersonal stereotypes are the association between perceptions of an individual’s: a) position in a social hierarchy, b) group membership, or c) identity, and biased impressions of their personality traits.

In the first study of interpersonal stereotypes, I investigated how socioeconomic status (SES) biases impressions of individual’s personality traits and in turn influences decisions about social affiliation and consumer credibility. We recruited 297 people from across the United states to interact one on one with up to five other participants via video chat. They shared stories about a negative consumer experience, discussed them, and then made personality and social judgement about each other. The results of this study show: 1. People accurately perceive others’ SES; 2. Perceptions of SES are associated with interpersonal stereotypes (in all 12 traits we measured) that universally favored people with higher SES. 3. SES indirectly effects affiliation interest, and consumer sympathy and credibility through interpersonal stereotypes.