1. University of Texas at El Paso
When “they” become “us”: The role of time on perceptions of LGBT ingroup members Amber K. Lupo, M.A., Arilene I. Hernandez, B.A., & Michael A. Zárate, Ph.D.
University of Texas at El Paso
Trait Ratings for LGBT Targets
The predicted two-way interaction between group diversity and delay condition was significant, F(1, 86) = 6.51, p = .02, ηp2 = Contrary to predictions, paired comparisons revealed that ratings of LGBT ingroup members were the least positive in the long-delay versus short-delay condition, t(49) = 3.72, p = As predicted, however, ratings of LGBT outgroup members did not differ between the long- and short-delay conditions, t(37) = 0.17, p = .87.
Participants, therefore, devalued their LGBT ingroup members, but only after a time delay containing sleep.
Trait Ratings for Male vs Female LGBT Targets
Ratings of the LGBT male and the LGBT female targets were entered into separate ANOVAs with experimental conditions as predictors.
For male targets, the predicted two-way interaction emerged, F(1, 86) = 6.92, p = Ingroup male LGBT targets were rated less positively in the long-delay (M = 4.84, SD = 1.24) versus the short-delay (M = 5.95, SD = 0.69) condition. For female targets, the interaction was not significant, F(1, 86) = 3.14, p = .08.
Discussion
The present study tested the effects of time and ingroup diversity on LGBT attitudes. Research demonstrates that it takes time for newly learned information to become stable and integrated in long-term memory. Further, social perceivers preferentially consolidate group information to boost one’s ingroup identity. Therefore, we predicted that when one’s ingroup (vs the outgroup) contained LGBT members, participants would report more positive LGBT attitudes and evaluations of those LGBT targets. Results demonstrated that attitudes toward LGBT issues did not differ as a function of group diversity or time. Further, LGBT ingroup targets were rated less positively in the long-delay versus the short-delay condition. Ratings of outgroup targets did not differ as a function of group diversity or delay condition.
Results suggest that members of stigmatized groups may be perceived more negatively when associated with one’s ingroup versus an outgroup. Research demonstrates that negative, versus neutral, information is better remembered over time (Payne Stickgold, Swanberg, & Kensinger 2008). In this study, LGBT status may have been perceived as a negative characteristic, leading to better memory of this information when self-relevant (i.e., associated with one’s ingroup). Future studies will use multiple learning sessions to vary the time at which stigmatizing information is learned about one’s ingroup members.
References
Enge, L. R., Lupo, A. K., & Zárate, M. A. (2015). Neurocognitive mechanisms of prejudice formation: The role of time-dependent memory consolidation. Psychological Science, 26(7),
Gais, S., & Born, J. (2004). Declarative memory consolidation: mechanisms acting during human sleep. Learning & Memory, 11(6),
Payne, J. D., Stickgold, R., Swanberg, K., & Kensinger, E. A. (2008). Sleep preferentially enhances memory for emotional components of scenes. Psychological Science, 19(8),
Racsmány, M., Conway, M. A., & Demeter, G. (2010). Consolidation of episodic memories during sleep: Long-term effects of retrieval practice. Psychological Science, 21(1),
Method
Procedure
The study used a 2 (Group diversity: diversity vs no diversity) X 2 (Delay condition: short- vs long-delay) between-subjects design. A minimal group task was used to randomly assign participants to an ingroup that was either diverse (included two self-identified LGBT members) or not diverse (did not include LGBT members). Participants completed a learning session, followed by a test session either the same day or two days later.
Learning Session
Participants learned personal information about 6 ingroup and 6 outgroup members via a time computer presentation. Two self-identified LGBT targets (1 male, 1 female) were included either in the ingroup or the outgroup. Participants were led to believe that they and the members of their group would compete with members of the outgroup on a trivia quiz during the next session for a chance to earn extra research credit.
Test Session
Participants returned for the second session either the same day (short-delay) or 2 days (long-delay) after the learning session. Participants first completed five multiple choice pop culture trivia questions and were given bogus feedback that their group was winning the contest against the outgroup.
Participants then completed the dependent variables, including 4 items measuring political attitudes toward LGBT issues (e.g., “To what extent are you against/for same sex marriage?”) and ratings of each in- and outgroup target along 10 positive traits. Responses were made on a 7-point scale.
Results
Each dependent variable was analyzed in separate ANOVAs with experimental conditions as predictors.
LGBT Attitudes
The main effects of group diversity and delay were not significant, p’s = .70 and .26, respectively. The predicted two-way interaction was also not significant, F(1, 86) = 0.14, p = .71. Mean scores were greater than 5.60 across conditions (on a 7-point scale), however, suggesting a ceiling effect.
Abstract
This study tested hypotheses derived from memory consolidation constructs. In particular, we tested the effects of learned group information and time on perceptions of LGBT individuals. Using a minimal group paradigm, self-identified heterosexual participants (N = 90) were randomly assigned to a condition where LGBT targets were included in their ingroup or in a competing outgroup. Participants learned positive trait information about both groups and were tested on their attitudes toward LGBT issues, evaluations of their ingroup, and trait ratings of the groups’ members either the at a short- or a long-delay. Results demonstrated that attitudes toward LGBT issues did not differ as a function of group information or time. Participants whose ingroup included LGBT members, however, evaluated those members less positively at the long-delay versus the short-delay condition. No differences emerged in evaluations of LGBT outgroup members over time. These findings suggest that members of stigmatized groups are perceived more negatively when associated with one’s ingroup.
Introduction
Ingroup Attitudes and Memory Consolidation
Research consistently shows that prejudice change manipulations rarely produce the expected attitude change effects. It takes time for attitudes to change. We propose that attitude change depends on time-dependent memory consolidation processes. Memory consolidation is the process by which information learned over time is integrated into our long-term memory and generalized to new, yet similar events. This process primarily occurs during sleep (Racsmany, Conway, & Demeter, 2010; Gais & Born, 2004).
Research from our lab supports the hypothesis that memory consolidation influences social perception. After learning trait information about racial in- and out-group members, participants responded in a manner consistent with an ingroup bias, but only after a time delay containing sleep (Enge, Lupo, & Zárate, 2015).
The present study tested how LGBT inclusive ingroups affect attitudes toward LGBT issues and evaluations of one’s ingroup members over time.
Hypotheses
We hypothesized that individuals assigned to an LGBT inclusive ingroup would demonstrate more positive LGBT attitudes and would evaluate their LGBT ingroup members more positively after a time delay containing sleep. We did not expect any differences in evaluations for outgroup LGBT targets over time.
We further predicted that male LGBT targets would be evaluated more negatively than female LGBT targets when in the ingroup and at the long-delay condition.
Condition N
Mean (SD)
Ingroup diverse + short delay 26
5.90 (0.72)
Ingroup diverse + long delay 25
5.04 (0.96)
Outgroup diverse + short delay 16
5.48 (0.80)
Outgroup diverse + long delay 23
5.52 (0.81)