¿Which Automatic Associations Prevail? Congruency andReverse Priming Effects on Implicit Gender Stereotyping

Abstract

Objectives . This study aimed to test whether gender stereotypes remain automatically activated following cues related to gender, despite years of promoting equality, and how it could correspond with explicit measures. Method . Seventy undergraduates performed a sequential priming task, in which the gender categories were presented subliminally. Culturally speci fi c gender stereotypes were used as targets. In addition, other signi fi cant variables related to gender (self-assignment of stereotypes, identity and ideology) were assessed explicitly. Results . At fi rst, the results showed a non-priming effect, indicating no implicit gender stereotyping. However, a more detailed observation of the data revealed that participants could be differentiated according to the effects that appeared: the congruency and the reverse priming effects. Conclusion. While gender stereotypes were automatically activated in Group 1 (positive socres), implicit stereotype inhibition seemed to take place in Group 2 (negative scores). Egalitarian goal activation is assumed to explain the reverse effect. The activation of different contents from the same primes emphatically suggests that more effort is needed to develop strong egalitarian commitments. Results also support the potential dynamic of gender stereotypes, even at an implicit level.