The interpersonal basis of self-stereotyping

Shared reality theory maintains that social beliefs, including beliefs about the self, are established and maintained to the degree that they are recognized and validated by important others. From this theory it was predicted that self-stereotyping may be a function of the self-views validated in particular relationships and the degree to which individuals wish to foster and maintain these relationships. This dissertation is composed of three experiments which test this hypothesis by examining the role of relationship motivation in the form of (1) pragmatic intentions to get along, (2) salient, unmet relationship needs and (3) salient important relationships in structuring stereotype-relevant self-evaluations and behavior among women.;Findings were generally supportive of this hypothesis, though, weak and inconsistent. Consistent with expectations, Experiment 1 implied that participants adjusted their behavior, and subsequent self-views, to the perceived views of a new interaction partner, but only when instructed to get along with that partner. Also consistent with expectations, participants in Experiment 2 adjusted their ratings on stereotype---relevant traits to the perceived views of a new interaction partner they were about to meet, but only when lonely. However, their behavior during the interaction, and subsequent self-judgements, were not affected by relationship motivation. Finally, Experiment 3 also provided some support for the shared reality explanation of self-stereotyping. Participants' self-views on positive masculine, negative feminine and positive feminine traits adjusted toward the views of an important person they were thinking about, but not an unimportant person. However, self-views on negative masculine traits were contrary to predictions and measures of stereotypic behavioral intentions were not affected by relationship motivation. The relevance of these findings to current understanding of self-stereotyping and implications for reducing self-stereotyping are discussed.