Why Do People Stereotype When Mortality Is Salient?
Lennart J. Renkema University of Groningen, l.j.renkema{at}rug.nl’ + u + ‘@’ + d + ”//–> Diederik A. Stapel Tilburg University Marcus Maringer Tilburg University Nico W. van Yperen University of Groningen Three studies examine two routes by which mortality threats may lead to stereotyping. Mortality salience may activate both a comprehension goal and an enhancement goal. Enhancement goals are likely to be more active in situations where intergroup competition or conflict is salient. If this is not the case, then a comprehension goal will predominate. In line with a why-determines-how logic, when mortality salience activates a comprehension goal, both positive and negative stereotyping occur. In contrast, the activation of an enhancement goal only increases negative stereotyping. Key Words: death existentialism stereotypes comprehension enhancement goals This version was published on April 1, 2008 Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 34, No. 4, 553-564 (2008) DOI: 10.1177/
