Three patterns of social categorization in attribution memory

✍ Scribed by Dr. Luciano Arcuri

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 767 KB
• Volume: 12
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0046-2772
• DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2420120303

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Studied within the framework of accentuation theory the effects of three categorization conditions on attribution memory. Using the experimental approach proposed by Taylor et al (1978) we have tested the hypothesis that subject's discriminative accuracy in associating the sentences to the pictures of the person who produced them depends on the use of categorical criteria. On the basis of TajteL's model, it is plausible to expect the number of intercategorical errors to be smaller than the number of intercategorical errors. If a relation holds between the number of intercategorical errors and ‘strength’ of categorization criteria, then comparing the data of simple categorization situation with those of a situation of superimposed categorization we should expect a decrease of intercategorical errors in the latter. In the case of crossed categorizations, an increase of this type of errors should be expected. The results support this hypothesis. The data in the crossed categorizations condition are discussed in relation to explanation proposed by Brown and Turner (1979).