Manipulating stereotype rating tasks: understanding questionnaire context effects on measures of attitudes, social identity and stereotypes

Abstract

Context eects in the questionnaire measurement of national stereotypes have been demonstrated in many studies since the early pioneering work of Katz and Braly (1933). More recently, self-categorization approaches (e.g. Oakes, have been used to explain context eects, with the suggestion that variation in stereotype content can be conceptualized as variation in the comparative meaning of categories, as speci®ed by the metacontrast principle. However, the methodological consequences of stereotype context eects for survey responding remain poorly understood. Using an experimental questionnaire manipulation, the current study demonstrates empirically that varying the stereotype rating task presented to respondents can have knock-on eects on responding in other questionnaire modulesÐin this case, modules exploring attitudes to European integration and national and European social identities. It is suggested that stereotype rating tasks might activate some social identities whilst inhibiting the activation of others, and that these eects might be aected by the level of abstraction of the social identities concerned. # 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Context effects on Scottish national and European self‐categorization: The importance of category accessibility, fragility and relations

“…The ®nding that European identity is indeed a very embryonic and fragile identity among our Scottish students supports previous research (Cinnirella, 1996(Cinnirella, , 1997(Cinnirella, , 1998Huici et al, 1997 ;Rutland, 1996Rutland, , 1998. It also adds empirical weight to Cinnirella's claim that context eåects on the strength and level of abstraction of selfcategorization might be most signi®cant when the identity in question is fragile and embryonic (see Cinnirella, 1996Cinnirella, , 1998. In Study 1 the European level of abstraction was most aåected by manipulation of the comparative context.…”

“…It is also possible that context eåects on the strength and level of abstraction of self-categorization might be more profound when the identities in question are embryonic and fragile (see Cinnirella, 1996Cinnirella, , 1998. This might help explain why only European identity was aåected by the context manipulation in Study 1.…”

“…This might help explain why only European identity was aåected by the context manipulation in Study 1. Indeed, there is evidence that this may be the case for European identity as manifested in both England and Scotland (Cinnirella, 1996(Cinnirella, , 1997(Cinnirella, , 1998Huici et al, 1997 ;Rutland, 1996Rutland, , 1998. In addition, recently there has been much debate within the social sciences and the mass media about the existence of a European identity and what it means to be European (see Hardt-Mautner, 1995 ;Mann, 1998 ;Shore, 1996 ;Smith, 1992Smith, , 1995.…”

“…David & Turner, 1996 ;Gaertner, Mann, Murrell, & Dovidio, 1989 ;Haslam et al 1998b ;Oakes, Turner, & Haslam, 1991). In addition, several studies have suggested that surveys may produce accentuation and diåerentiation eåects, and so impact upon self-categorization processes (Cinnirella, 1998 ;Hogg & Abrams, 1988 ;Levine & Reicher, 1996 ;McGarty & Penny, 1988). Nevertheless, SCT's speci®c claim that manipulation of the comparative context should aåect which level of abstraction self-categorization is achieved at has lacked direct experimental investigation.…”

“…Furthermore, there was no speci®ed personal identity within this study, and given that Scottish identity may be a chronically accessible self-category, a salient Scottish identi®cation for respondents seemed a real possibility. In fact, the very act of making the in-group stereotype ratings might well have activated the potentially chronically salient self-categorization of`Scottish ' (see Cinnirella, 1998).…”