Now, let's examine your responses on the eight sentences that were altered to be inconsistent with the relevant stereotype. For comparison, we'll also display the results from all participants in this activity.
Alteration:
When reading the original sentence, most people assume that Edith was neat. When Edith is, instead, "Archie," people make a different inference. Gender stereotypes, again.
% of participants answered correctly.
Alteration:
Because of gender stereotypes, most people infer that Bob's attitude toward sports was a little too enthusiastic, not negative.
% of participants answered correctly.
Alteration:
Because of stereotypes about men, most people infer that Luke does not express emotions at all.
% of participants answered correctly.
Alteration:
A fun sentence. Clearly, "terminating" employees does not mean killing them. However, when the character in the sentence is described as a drug dealer, people are not so sure.
% of participants answered correctly.
Alteration:
Obsessiveness is not something most people associate with Marine drill sergeants. However, if the sentence is about an accountant, people are much more willing to infer that the character's personality was obsessive.
% of participants answered correctly.
Alteration:
Most people infer that the professor's language was technical, not incoherent. However, when the student is described as listening to a psychiatric patient rather than to a professor, people are much more likely to infer that the student was listening to incoherent babble.
% of participants answered correctly.
Alteration:
Gender stereotypes, again. When Bob is, instead, "Elizabeth," people are more likely to infer that her math SAT scores were low.
% of participants answered correctly.
Alteration:
Most people do not infer that the marriage counselors had a fist fight. That just doesn't fit the stereotype. However, if the two people involved in the fight are lumberjacks, people are much more likely to infer that fisticuffs were involved.
% of participants answered correctly.
Edith's friends were amazed at the shape she kept her room in.
Edith's friends were amazed at how messy she kept her room.
You answered this one correctly.
You answered this one incorrectly.
% of participants answered incorrectly.
Carol didn't like Bob's attitude toward sports.
Carol didn't like Bob's negative attitude toward sports.
You answered this one correctly.
You answered this one incorrectly.
% of participants answered incorrectly.
Luke had a problem with expressing his emotions.
Luke had a problem with expressing his emotions too much.
You answered this one correctly.
You answered this one incorrectly.
% of participants answered incorrectly.
After weighing all the circumstances, the head of the computer software firm decided that he would have to terminate a few of his employees.
After weighing all the circumstances, the head of the computer software firm decided that he would have to kill a few of his employees.
You answered this one correctly.
You answered this one incorrectly.
% of participants answered incorrectly.
The Marine drill sergeant's personality was a little hard to take.
The Marine drill sergeant's obsessive personality was a little hard to take.
You answered this one correctly.
You answered this one incorrectly.
% of participants answered incorrectly.
The student couldn't make sense of the neurobiology professor's language.
The student couldn't make sense of the neurobiology professor's incoherent language.
You answered this one correctly.
You answered this one incorrectly.
% of participants answered incorrectly.
Bob was not very surprised upon receiving his math SAT scores.
Bob was not very surprised upon receiving his low math SAT scores.
You answered this one correctly.
You answered this one incorrectly.
% of participants answered incorrectly.
After a few drinks, the two marriage counselors had a fight in the restaurant.
After a few drinks, the two marriage counselors had a fist fight in the restaurant.
You answered this one correctly.
You answered this one incorrectly.
% of participants answered incorrectly.
Results Summary.
