The Effect of Mood on the Expression of Stereotypes as a Function of Normative Pressure

Abstract : This study examined the influence of mood states on the expression of stereotypes as a function of normative pressure. Sad or happy participants were asked to list either cultural stereotypes or personal beliefs about a high or a low normatively protected group. The valence of these attributes, the percentage of group members assumed to share these attributes, and the abstractness of the descriptions were analysed. As expected, mood affected the expression of group stereotypes only when normative pressure was low. When listing cultural stereotypes about a low protected group, sad participants (in comparison to happy ones) were more likely to associate negative characteristics with the group, but were less prone to make generalisations about the group or to use abstract attributes to describe it. Results are discussed in terms of the role of normative pressure in moderating the impact of mood states on stereotyping at both individual and group levels.