The Role of Stereotypes in Empathic Accuracy Karyn L. Lewis1 & Sara D. Hodges2 1University of Colorado Boulder 2University of Oregon

What super-hero power do Americans most want?

What super-hero power do Americans most want? Mind Reading

Idealized View of Accuracy Target Thought Perceiver Inference Behavior

Expanded Model of Interpersonal of Accuracy Category Membership Target Thought Perceiver Inference Do Stereotypes improve accuracy? When? Hypothesis: Stereotypes improve accuracy to the extent that they contain valid content.

What is empathic accuracy? Correctly inferring another person’s thoughts and feelings

Measuring Empathic Accuracy (Ickes methodology) “Targets” talk while being filmed Targets watch video Report thoughts - content & timing Perceivers watch film Infer target’s thoughts Coders rate accuracy of inferences

Study 1: Stereotypes and Perceiver Experience Targets College students (N = 18) Videotaped while discussing their parents’ divorce with a partner Perceivers College students (N = 142) Inferred the thoughts of multiple targets (M = 7.5) 21.8% had divorced parents (n = 31)

High Stereotypicality Study 1 Measures Empathic Accuracy Stereotypicality of Targets’ Thoughts and Perceivers’ Inferences Coders rated how characteristic of what a typical person with divorced parents would say (1=uncharacteristic to 4=characteristic scale) High Stereotypicality Low Stereotypicality M=3.75 “[I was thinking that] … I hated choosing what parent to spend a holiday with because I always felt my decision would hurt and make the other parent sad.” M=1.50 “[I was thinking how] most of my childhood memories with my dad are more about my step mom – she seems to have witnessed more of my growing up than my dad ever did”

Stereotypicality Effect Inference Stereotypicality: B = 8.15, p < .001 Interaction with Thought Stereotypicality: B = 8.17, p < .001 Thought Stereotypicality Inference Stereotypicality

Study 1 Conclusions People draw on stereotypes Resulted in accuracy when valid Was not affected by perceiver experience Standardized stimuli

Study 2: Stereotypes in Dyadic Interactions Same-sex dyads discussed divorce (N = 118) 33 female pairs 26 male pairs

Study 2 Measures Empathic Accuracy Thought Stereotypicality Inference Stereotypicality Own Parents’ Divorce Status 31 dyads were matched (both individuals had divorced parents) 28 dyads were not matched (only one individual had divorced parents)

Inference Stereotypicality Study 2 Results Inference Stereotypicality: B = 5.37, p = .04 Interaction with Thought Stereotypicality: B = 10.63, p = .01 Thought Stereotypicality Inference Stereotypicality

Study 3: Interrupt Process n = 79 participants Task Instructions: Don’t use stereotypes Use stereotypes Control Measures: Inference Stereotypicality Empathic Accuracy

Study 3 Results Control vs. Use: t(76) = -.35, p = .73 Don’t Use v. Other Groups: t(76) = 2.30, p = .02

Study 3 Results Control vs. Use: t(76) = -.96, p = .34 Don’t Use v. Other Groups: t(76) = 2.05, p = .04