Abstract
The effect of the categorial content variability on encoding and retrieval of stereotypical information. Research on social categorization has shown the importance of the concept of variability for comprehension of stereotypes. Thus, people store information not only about prototypical features of the group, but also about differences between members. However, there is not a great deal of knowledge about the way this factor intervenes in the processing of social information. This study examines the effects of categorial content variability (high vs. low), and stereotypicality (stereotypical vs. counterstereotypical) on encoding and retrieval. A recognition task was used to measure memory accuracy in three conditions: An "a priori" condition in which a stereotype is activated prior to information presentation, an "a posteriori" condition in which a stereotype is activated after information presentation and before the recognition task, and a control condition in which stereotype was not activated. The contrast between accuracy measures of memory showed that, compared with low variability, a high variability facilitates encoding of stereotypical information and retrieval of counterstereotypical information.
