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

2. What super-hero power do Americans most want?

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

4. Idealized View of Accuracy
Target
Thought
Perceiver
Inference
Behavior

5. 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.

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

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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”

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

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

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

13. 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)

14. 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

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

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

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