Publication Date

Fall 2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Arlene Asuncion

Keywords

happiness, mood, stereotypes

Subject Areas

Psychology

Abstract

Past research has shown that people's perception of others can be influenced by a number of factors, including their own affective state. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of happiness on gender stereotyping. College undergraduate participants in a happy or neutral state completed a social judgment task in which they determined the likelihood of guilt of either a male or a female suspect in a computer hacking case. Happy participants showed increased gender stereotyping, but only against the male suspect. Neutral participants did not show stereotype activation only when the suspect was identified as female. Practical applications and directions for future research are discussed.

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