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This article examines the effects of evidence that confirmed or disconfirmed a stereotype on subjects' use of that stereotype in forming impressions of a member of the stereotyped group. The subjects learned about typical behaviors of three friends of the target person and then indicated their impressions of that person. The mere mention of membership in the stereotyped group increased stereotypic attributions. Confirming evidence was more effective in increasing stereotyping when it was dispersed across the three friends' descriptions than when it was concentrated in one friend's description, whereas disconfirming evidence was more effective in decreasing stereotyping when it was concentrated in one friend's description than when it was dispersed across several friends' descriptions.

The effects of anticipated interaction on liking were examined, with the person being evaluated sometimes being presented as a member of a negatively stereotyped group. The stereotype studied was that associated with male homosexuals. The standard effect of anticipated interaction causing increased liking was obtained when females rated either a homosexual or a non‐ homosexual male and when males rated a nonhomosexual male. When males anticipated interacting with a homosexual male, however, they rated him less favorably than did males who did not anticipate interacting with him. It was also found that both males and females liked the stimulus person less and attributed stereotypic traits to him more when he was homosexual than when he was not. These latter effects were stronger for males than for females.

Male and female college students watched a videotape of a 3-year-old child who was identified as either a girl or a boy; they then rated the child on a number of personaltiy and ability measures. Males' ratings on many of the measures were more favorable for the "girl" than for the "boy," whereas females' ratings were more favorable for the "boy" than for the "girl." In addition to these interactions, there was also a main effect for sex of subject, with females rating the child more favorably than males.

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