Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
888711 Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 2012 15 Pages PDF
Abstract

In social dilemmas, negotiations, and other forms of strategic interaction, mind-reading—intuiting another party’s preferences and intentions—has an important impact on an actor’s own behavior. In this paper, we present a model of how perceivers shift between social projection (using one’s own mental states to intuit a counterpart’s mental states) and stereotyping (using general assumptions about a group to intuit a counterpart’s mental states). Study 1 extends prior work on perceptual dilemmas in arms races, examining Americans’ perceptions of Chinese attitudes toward military escalation. Study 2 adapts a prisoner’s dilemma, pairing participants with outgroup targets. Study 3 employs an ultimatum game, asking male and female participants to make judgments about opposite sex partners. Study 4 manipulates perceived similarity as well as counterpart stereotype in a principal–agent context. Across the studies, we find evidence for our central prediction: higher levels of perceived similarity are associated with increased projection and reduced stereotyping.

► People use stereotyping and social projection to intuit counterpart mental states. ► Here, we show how people shift between these inferential strategies. ► Four studies examine mindreading in dilemmas and principal–agent contexts. ► Increased perceived similarity heightens projection and curbs stereotyping. ► Results emerge for both positive and negative stereotypes.

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