People acquire information about their abilities by comparison, and research suggests that people restrict such comparisons to those whom they consider sources of diagnostic information. We suggest that diagnosticity is often considered only after comparisons are made and that people do not fail to make nondiagnostic comparisons so much as they mentally undo them. In 2 studies, participants made nondiagnostic comparisons even when they knew they should not, and quickly unmade them when they were able. These results suggest that social comparisons may be relatively spontaneous, effortless, and unintentional reactions to the performances of others and that they may occur even when people consider such reactions logically inappropriate.

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The purpose of this research was to examine the consequences of being perceived as having benefited from a family connection during the hiring process. One hundred and ninety-seven upper-level undergraduate students reviewed materials describing three candidates for a managerial position. Selection method (merit vs. nepotism) and gender of the person who received the position were manipulated in the materials. Results revealed that not only was nepotism perceived as being less fair than merit-based hiring, but individuals believed to have benefited from a family connection during the hiring process were viewed less favorably than individuals believed to have been hired based on merit.

Two experiments examined the role of perpetrator power in witnesses’ decision to confront a prejudicial remark. In Experiment 1, participants who witnessed a sexist remark by a higher‐power (vs. an equal‐power) perpetrator were significantly less likely to express confrontation intentions, despite finding the remark highly biased and inappropriate. In Experiment 2, participants read scenarios involving a sexist versus racist remark perpetrated by someone higher vs. lower vs. equal in power, and they reported their confrontation intentions. Perpetrator power again inhibited direct confrontation intentions, and this effect was mediated by perceptions of responsibility for intervening, perceived ability to decide how to respond, and perceived costs versus benefits of confronting. Findings were not qualified by discrimination type (racism vs. sexism) or by individual differences in participant prejudice. Consistent with power‐as‐approach theory, feeling powerless increased sensitivity to confrontation obstacles and thereby inhibited confrontation intentions.

On diagnosis, men are given large amounts of information about cancer and treatment but fail to understand the longer-term implications of sperm banking. These implications need to be specifically addressed at subsequent appointments in order to optimize fertility monitoring and timely disposal of sperm samples.

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The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is a popular means of examining “hidden” biases. However, some express concerns about classroom use of the IAT, citing students\u27 potentially negative affective reactions to taking the IAT and discovering their implicit biases. To investigate the validity of this criticism, 35 social psychology students completed affect measures after taking and discussing the Race IAT. Students reported more positive than negative affect both immediately after taking the IAT and 1 week later. They also reported greater awareness of their own and others\u27 implicit racial biases, knowledge of implicit processes, and perceived value of the IAT demonstration