Exemplar and Abstraction Models of Perceived Group Variability and Stereotypicality

Abstract

Models of cognitive categorization processes are used to analyze two manifestations of perceived out-group homogeneity: People perceive out-groups to be (1) less variable and (2) more stereotypic than in-groups with respect to individual features such as friendliness. Four categorization models are considered: the simple prototype and category density models, which assume that knowledge of categories is represented by category properties that are abstracted on-line; and the generalized context and multi-trace memory models, which assume that knowledge of categories is represented by memory traces regarding exemplars of the category. These models are used to interpret three potential causal mechanisms: greater attention to individuating attributes of in-group members, exposure to a greater number of in-group members, and exposure to a higher proportion of second-hand exemplars of out-groups. The exemplar models provide a more complete explanation of the variability, stereotypicality, and shapes of perceived distributions of the characteristics of group members. However, judgments about categories depend on perceived similarity to both specific instances and category prototypes.

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