MOOD AND THE EXPRESSION OF ETHNIC-STEREOTYPES

Four studies demonstrated that when individuals are in a negative mood, they are especially likely to attribute stereotypes that they consider to be very unfavorable to certain ethnic groups. The ethnic groups that were most consistently affected were Native Indian, Pakistani, and Arabic people. In Studies 1 and 2, it was shown that the effect is obtained with 2 different types of mood induction procedures and for individuals of various ethnic backgrounds. In Studies 3 and 4, it was found that mood strongly influences the interpretation of stereotypes typically attributed to the groups; it may also have a weaker effect on the actual type of stereotypes used. Results are discussed in terms of the effect of mood on the accessibility of relevant information and of the interpretive categories applied to information. Implications for the literature on mood effects and on intergroup perceptions are discussed.