Group Make Up and Stereotypes 1
Running Head: Group Make Up and Stereotypes
Group Make Up and It’s Effects on Stereotypes of College Students
Autumn Barker
Averett University
Group Make Up and Stereotypes 2
Abstract
Many people upon seeing another person automatically use the others facial features, age
and race to make inferences about the other. When a person looks at another,
unconsciously they employ illusory correlations, which are perceived correlations
between two classes of events that, in reality, are not related (Chapman, 1967). These
correlations can also be used in cases dealing with clothing and desirable or undesirable
characteristics. This study uses pictures of groups consisting of various combinations of
“normal” teenagers dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt, “goth” teenagers dressed completely
in black, and “punk” teenagers dressed in tartan pants and leather coats. Using these
pictures, 40 participants will provide an estimate of the percentage of 16 characteristics
each of the groups possesses. It is hypothesized that groups containing either a “goth” or
“punk” or both will have a significantly less percentage of desirable effects than a group
made of just “normal” teenagers.
Group Make Up and Stereotypes 3
Group Make Up and It’s Effects on the Stereotypes of College Students
Walking in the busy shopping mall, full of people, you notice a group of teenagers
walking together. Upon more observations mostly based on the way the teenagers are
dressed, they appear to belong to the social groups you know as “goth”, “punk”, and
“normal”. What are you immediate thoughts? What if this group only included a “goth”
and a “punk”? Are you likely to think that they are up to mischief because you associate
them automatically with the social group that their clothing style makes up and any of the
behaviors you know of these groups?
Many people believe the way one dresses or looks can be directly associated with
personality traits and behaviors. This statement is very evident in the work of William
Sheldon (1954). His work examined the relationship between personality development
and the way one looks. Based on his somatotype theory, he based personality traits on
embryonic development of the three layers of cells – endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm.
If the endoderm is more prominent in development, which develop into the lungs, heart,
stomach, and intestines, Sheldon believed that you would become an endomorph, focused
on the “gut”, which made them heavy. At the mesoderm layer, from which bones and
muscles form, comes the mesomorph who are solid muscle and bones. The last layer, the
ectoderm, forms nails, hair, and skin, makes up the ectomorph, who has more skin to
body volume, which made them tall and skinny. From these three types, Sheldon
concluded three temperaments or personality types. Endodotonia, associated with
endomorphs, were thought to love relaxation, food, people, and comfort. Mesomorphs
were thought to be mesotonia personality type that assumed they were assertive and
extremely active. Ectotonia which was the personality type of the Ectomorph, focused on
Group Make Up and Stereotypes 4
privacy, restraint, and self-awareness. This was one of the first studies to focus on one’s
appearance and their associated personality (Sheldon, 1954).
From associations between body type and personality, the question arose of what
else can be used to predict personality. Many people use stereotypes to classify,
understand, and predict the behavior of others (Brewer, 1988; Fiske & Neuburg, 1990;
Hamilton & Sherman, 1994; Kunda & Spencer, 2003). Stereotypes refer to the
association of a social group with a certain attitude about others. Stereotypes are
associated with how people established their own social identity (Greenwald, Banaji,
Rudman, Farnham, Nosek& Mellott, 2002).
Persons with similar social identities are seen to be categorized together. Social
categorization have a close (Dovido, Evans, & Tyler, 1986) and automatic (Bargh, 1997)
tie with how people judge and see others. Exposure to a category, through a picture or
actual category member, may be enough for stereotyping, whether one is consciously
aware of it or not (Bargh, 1996). Recent studies of stereotyping have shown that
stereotypes almost occur automatically and immediately with the categories of race, age,
and sex (Kawakami, Dovidio, Moll, Hermesen, & Russin, 2000).
If physical appearance, age, and sex are used to categorize and stereotype people,
is it safe to assume that clothing is also a possible categorizer? Johnson, Schofield, and
Yurchisin (2002) suggested that it is. “Using dress, individuals can unconsciously or
consciously encode multiple messages for others to interpret”. It was also suggested that
dress is a very “systematic means of transmission of information about the wearer”
(Damhorst, 1990).
Group Make Up and Stereotypes 5
This information that others collect about the clothing wearer seems innocent
enough, but is it? Chapman’s (1967) work with illusory correlations suggest that perhaps
it was not as innocent as may be thought. Illusory correlations were defined as
“perceived correlations between two classes of events that in reality, are not correlated at
all” (Chapman, 1967). Illusory correlations are easiest exemplified in situations that
include two groups. A simple example would be a white male in a mostly white college
community watched a black man being overly belligerent and perhaps loud. If the white
man overestimated the rate of belligerence and volume in black men as compared to
white males, he may be lead to negatively stereotype black men. Illusory correlations
were therefore discovered to be possible reason for group stereotyping, as seen in the
example, as well as for minority discrimination (Rooy, Overwalle, Vanhoomissen,
Labiouse, & French, 2003). If such problems existed in race and sex issues, it is easily
assumed that it can exist based on clothing because of the information people transmit
through their apparel.
Many studies have been conducted to examine the social categories through race
and sex, however, social category research through clothing is lacking. Social categories
based on clothing are often associated with the negative of a few extreme members of the
group. In this study, three social categories will be used based on the way they are
perceived by society, especially among parents and school officals. The “punk” category
included descriptions such as “everybody thinks that a punk’s got a leather jacket, a pair
of tartan trousers, and a mohawk (Widdicombe and Wooffitt, 1990) and was depicted
through unusual hair styles and loud jarring music (Gold, 1987). Another group used in
this study will be the “goth” teenager. These are those who dress in total black which
Group Make Up and Stereotypes 6
considered by some parents to indicate depression, rebellion, and even satanic influences
(Michelman, Eicher, and Michelman, 1991). “Goths” are also seen wearing “gender-
bending garments, applied white make-up, accented with black eyeliner, and gray blush-
on (Hine, 1999). The last group to be used in this experiment will be a “normal” teenager
who is seen wearing jeans and a tee-shirt.
The focus of this study is to observe if “goth” and “punk” are seen as possessing
less desirable characteristics than the “normal” teen. Groups are established and will help
observe if associating with a “punk” or “goth” also will give the “normal” teen a lower
percentage of the desirable traits. These groups will be compared to a group of “normal”
teens to observe if they are seen to have more desirable characteristics of a group
comprised only of a “goth” and a “punk”. It is hypothesized that any association with
“goth” or “punk” teenagers will cause a “normal” teenager to have less desirable
characteristics, as well as a group comprised with only a “goth” or “punk”, as compared
to a group only consisting of “normal” teenagers. If these effects are seen, perhaps it will
aid in establishing programs to end or decrease the effects of stereotypes that cause
discrimination.
Method
Participants
The participants who will be invited to participate in this study stereotypes will be
40 undergraduate students at Averett University. In turn for participating, participants
can select to be included in a drawing for fifty dollars or to have extra credit added to
their grades in undergraduate psychology courses.
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Procedure
Each of the 40 participates will randomly be assigned to one of four
manipulations of group make up in pictures to be evaluated. These groups will include a
picture with two people dressed as “goth” and a “punk”, one with three people to act as a
control with each of the groups, “goth”, “punk”, “normal”, one with two people dressed
as a “goth” and a “normal” and a group with two “normal” teenagers. Upon agreement to
participate in this study, participants will be informed that they are participating in a
study of impression formation rather than stereotypes to reduce any participant reactivity.
This study will be done by giving a packet to each participant. Included on the
first page will be an informed consent form with contact information for both the primary
and the supervising experimenter. On the next page will be directions for the participants
to follow: “Observe the group in the following picture, paying particular attention to their
clothing. After observing, turn and follow the directions on the next page.” Following
this page would be the picture of the group belonging to manipulation to which they had
been assigned.
Following the suggestion of Feinburg, Mataro, and Burroughs (1992) pictures of
the groups will be frontal views of the models. Hands will be at the model’s sides and
toes pointed directly forward. Heads and hair will be blocked out to reduce the effects of
confounding variables like facial features using a computer photography editing program.
The same models will be used for the different groups to control for other biases. On the
following page will be Martin’s 1987 percentage survey. On this page will be listed more
directions as well as the 16 characteristics (see Appendix) with percentage fill-in blanks.
Directions will read “For each of the following characteristics, provide your best estimate
Group Make Up and Stereotypes 8
or guess of the percentage of the group in the preceding picture as a whole who possess
each trait.” Following the directions, the sixteen traits are numbered and listed. These
traits include kind, not easily influenced, competitive, aware of other’s feelings,
dominant, makes decisions easily, independent, understanding, never gives easily,
helpful, aggressive, warm, self-confident, stands up well to others, and active. Following
each trait is a blank followed by a percentage sign where the participant can write in the
percentage of each trait they feel the group possesses. Upon completion, each participant
will be debriefed, thanked, and asked not to talk about the study until the results are
publicized.
Group Make Up and Stereotypes 9
References
Bargh, J. (1996). Automaticity in Social Psychology. In Kawakami, K., Dovidio, J.F.,
Moll, J., Hermsen, S., & Russin, A. (2000). Just Say No (to Stereotyping):
Effects of Training in the Negation of Stereotypic Associations on Stereotype
Activiation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(5), 871-888.
Bargh, J. (1997). The Automaticity of Everyday Life. Kawakami, K., Dovidio, J.F.,
Moll, J., Hermsen, S., & Russin, A. (2000). Just Say No (to Stereotyping):
Effects of Training in the Negation of Stereotypic Associations on Stereotype
Activiation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(5), 871-888.
Brewer, M.B. (1988). A Dual Process of Impression Formation. In Kunda, Z. & Spencer,
S.J. (2003). When Do Stereotypes Come to Mind and When Do They Color
Judgment? A Goal-Based Theoretical Framework for Stereotype Activation and
Application. Psychological Bulletin, 129(4), 522-544.
Chapman, L.J. (1967). Illusory Correlation in Observational Report. Journal of Verbal
Learning and Verbal Behavior, 6, 151-155.
Damhorst, M.L. (1990). In Search of a Common Thread: Classification of Information
Communicated Through Dress. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 8(2), 1-
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Dovidio, J., Evans, N., & Tyler, R. (1986). Racial Sterotypes: The Concents of Their
Cognitive Representation. Kawakami, K., Dovidio, J.F., Moll, J., Hermsen, S., &
Russin, A. (2000). Just Say No (to Stereotyping): Effects of Training in the
Negation of Stereotypic Associations on Stereotype Activiation. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 78(5), 871-888.
Group Make Up and Stereotypes 10
Feinberg, R.A., Mataro, L., & Burroughs, W.J. (1992). Clothing and Social Identity.
Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 11(1), 18-23.
Fiske, S.T. & Neuberg, S.L. (1990). A Continuum of Impression Formation, from
Category-based to Individuating Processes: Influences of Information and
Motivation on Attention and Interpretation. In Kunda, Z. & Spencer, S.J. (2003).
When Do Stereotypes Come to Mind and When Do They Color Judgment? A
Goal-Based Theoretical Framework for Stereotype Activation and Application.
Psychological Bulletin, 129(4), 522-544.
Fiske, S.T. & Taylor, S.E. (1991). Social Cognition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Gold, B.D. (1987). Self Image of Punk Rock and Nonpunk Rock Juvenile Delinquents.
Adolescence, 22(87), 535-544.
Greenwald, A.G., Banaji, M.R., Rudman, L.A., Farnham, S.D., Nosek, B.A., & Mellott,
D.S. (2002). A Unified Theory of Implicit Attitudes, Stereotypes, Self-Esteem,
and Self-Concept. Psychological Review, 109(1), 3-25.
Hamilton, D.L. & Sherman, J.W. (1994). Stereotypes. In Kunda, Z. & Spencer, S.J.
(2003). When Do Stereotypes Come to Mind and When Do They Color
Judgment? A Goal-Based Theoretical Framework for Stereotype Activation and
Application. Psychological Bulletin, 129(4), 522-544.
Hine, T. (1999). Goths in Tomorrowland. In Thomas Hine, The Rise and Fall of
the American Teenager (pp. 274-295). New York, NY: Avon Books Inc.
Johnson, K.K.P., Schofield, N.A., Yurchinsin, J. (2002). Apperance and Dress as a
Source of Information: A Qualitative Approach to Data Collection. Clothing and
Textiles Research Journal, 20(3), 125-137.
Group Make Up and Stereotypes 11
Kawakami, K., Dovidio, J.F., Moll, J., Hermsen, S., & Russin, A. (2000). Just Say No
(to Stereotyping): Effects of Training in the Negation of Stereotypic Associations
on Stereotype Activiation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(5),
871-888.
Kunda, Z. & Spencer, S.J. (2003). When Do Stereotypes Come to Mind and When Do
They Color Judgment? A Goal-Based Theoretical Framework for Stereotype
Activation and Application. Psychological Bulletin, 129(4), 522-544.
Michelman, J.D., Eicher, J.B., & Michelman, S.O. (1991). Adolescent Dress, Part I:
Dress and Body Markings of Psychiatric Outpatients and Inpatients. Adolescence,
26(102), 375-385.
Rooy, D.V., Overwalle, F.V., Vanhoomissen, T., Labiouse, C., & French, R. (2003) A
Reccurrent Connectionist Model of Group Biases. Psychological Review, 110(3),
536-563.
Sheldon, W.A. (1954). Atlas of Men: A Guide for Somatotyping the Adult Male at All
Ages. New York, NY: Columbia University.
Widdicombe, S. & Wooffitt, R. (1990) Being Versus Doing Punk: On Achieveing
Authenticity as a member. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 9(4),
257-277.
Group Make Up and Stereotypes 12
Appendix
For each of the following characteristics, provide your best estimate or guess of the percentage of the group in the preceding picture as a whole who possess each trait.
1. kind ________%
2. not easily influenced ________%
3. competitive ________%
4. aware of others’ feelings ________%
5. dominant ________%
6. makes decisions easily ________%
7. independent ________%
8. understanding ________%
9. never gives easily ________%
10. helpful ________%
11. aggressive ________%
12. warm ________%
13. self-confident ________%
14. stands up well under pressure ________%
15. able to devote self to others ________%
16. active ________%
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