SPIE MI 2000 Figures

1
Prototypes and Perceived Control Predict
Perceptions of Discrimination in Ambiguous
Situations
Contact Angela Krumm akrumm_at_nd.edu
Angela J. Krumm, MA and Alexandra F. Corning,
PhD, University of Notre Dame
Conclusions
Results
Method
Introduction
Women may be more likely to perceive an
instance as unfair treatment based on sex when
perpetrated by a male (a prototypical
perpetrator) because of biases individuals have
regarding prototypical perpetrators of unfair
treatment. The current results converge with
recent findings that provide support for the
prototype view (e.g., Flournoy et al., 2002
Inman Baron, 1996). Perceived control over
instances of gender discrimination significantly
interacts with the sex of the perpetrator to
predict the extent to which discrimination is
perceived. Individuals working to maintain a
sense of control over being treated unfairly may
find it easier to attribute ambiguous treatment
from non-prototypical perpetrators to causes
other than discrimination. Women with a lower
sense of perceived control over gender
discrimination, however, may not be motivated to
maintain a sense of control thus they may be more
likely to perceive it as such, regardless of the
prototypicality of the situation.
A main effect was found for sex of the
perpetrator. Women were more likely to perceive
discrimination when the unfair treatment was
perpetrated by a male (M 30.81) than when the
same treatment was perpetrated by a female (M
28.48), despite the fact that non-prototypical
perpetrators exhibited exactly the same
behavior. We found a significant interaction
between participants level of perceived control
over being a recipient of unfair treatment and
the sex of the perpetrator, F(2,210) 3.15, p lt
.01, (R2 .15). Specifically, women with a
greater sense of control provided more disparate
ratings of perceived discrimination for male (M
36.0) and female (M 26.5) perpetrators than
women with a lesser sense of control (M 31.5
and M 31.0 respectively.)
Participants Participants were 262 undergraduate
women at two medium-sized mid-western
universities. Stimuli Participants in the study
read vignettes of ambiguously discriminatory
treatment (piloted, N 83) that were either
male- or female-perpetrated (depending on the
participants condition assignment). Measures Par
ticipants responded to a number of measures
including the following Perception of
discrimination rating Each vignette was
followed by a question that read, In your mind,
to what extent did this situation depict an
instance of unfair treatment based on sex?
Response Scale 1(not at all it definitely
was not an instance of unfair treatment based on
sex) to 7(very much so it definitely was an
instance of unfair treatment based on sex).
Perception of control over sex-discrimination
rating Participants responded to an item
that read, To what extent do you have control
over being a recipient of unfair treatment based
on sex? Response Scale 1(not at all) to
7(very much so).
Substantial social differences exist between
dominant and minority groups (Dovidio, 2001).
Historically, research regarding the phenomenon
of discrimination has focused on characteristics
of the perpetrators of discrimination (see
Duckitt, 1992, for a review). Recently, however,
research has begun to focus on the perception of
discrimination from the perspective of the
recipient (e.g., Branscombe, Schmitt, Harvey,
1999). In the present study we examined the
experiences of women as one group that
experiences inequity based on group membership.
We conducted an experimental test of the
prototype view (Inman Baron, 1996, p. 728) of
discrimination. This theory posits that
individuals are highly sensitive to situations
that fit their expectancies -- or "prototypes --
of typical instances of discrimination.
Specific attributions of control (Weiner, 1979)
were also proposed to be relevant to perceptions
of discrimination because, theoretically, being
treated unfairly involves a lack of control over
outcomes.
References
Hypotheses
Branscombe, N. R., Schmitt, M. T., Harvey, R.
D. (1999). Perceiving pervasive discrimination
among African Americans Implications for group
identification and well-being. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 77(1),
135-149. Dovidio, J. F. (2001). On the nature of
contemporary prejudice The third wave. Journal
of Social Issues, 57(4), 829-849. Duckitt, J.
H. (1992). Psychology and prejudice A historical
analysis and integrative framework. American
Psychologist, 47(10), 1182-1193. Flournoy, J.
M., Jr., Prentice Dunn, S., Klinger, M. R.
(2002). The role of prototypical situations in
the perceptions of prejudice of African
Americans. Journal of Applied Social Psychology,
32(2), 406-423. Inman, M. L., Baron, R. S.
(1996). Influence of prototypes on perceptions of
prejudice. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 70(4), 727-739. Weiner, B. (1979). A
theory of motivation for some classroom
experiences. Journal of Educational Psychology,
71, 2-25.

• ) Women will be more likely to perceive
• ambiguous situations of sex-based discrimination
• as discriminatory when the perpetrator sex is
• prototypical (i.e., a male) than when sex is non-
• prototypical (i.e., a female).
• 2.) Women who perceive they have less control
• over unfair treatment based on sex will perceive
• more discrimination in ambiguous situations than
• women who perceive they have a lesser extent of
• control.