Construing the Essence: The Effects of Construal Level on Genetic Attributions for Individual and Social Group Differences

Jaime L. Napier; Jamie B. Luguri; John F. Dovidio; Kathleen A. Oltman

doi:10.1177/0146167218768799

Construing the Essence: The Effects of Construal Level on Genetic Attributions for Individual and Social Group Differences

Jaime L. Napier, Jamie B. Luguri, John F. Dovidio, Kathleen A. Oltman

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The present research links a nonsocial, contextual influence (construal level) to the tendency to endorse genetic attributions for individual and social group differences. Studies 1 to 3 show that people thinking in an abstract (vs. concrete) mind-set score higher on a measure of genetic attributions for individual and racial group differences. Study 4 showed that abstract (vs. concrete) construal also increased genetic attributions for novel groups. Study 5 explored the potential downstream consequences of construal on intergroup attitudes, and found that abstract (vs. concrete) construal led people to endorse genetic attributions in general and this was associated with increased anti-Black prejudice.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1395-1407
Number of pages	13
Journal	Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Volume	44
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218768799
State	Published - Sep 1 2018

Keywords

construal-level theory
essentialism
genetic attributions
prejudice

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology

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10.1177/0146167218768799

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Construing the Essence: The Effects of Construal Level on Genetic Attributions for Individual and Social Group Differences

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Keywords

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