Hamilton & Gifford (1976)
To test the Illusory Correlation
Results
Conclusion
- Participants judged that Group B were worse/ had more undesirable qualities than Group A
- Because Group B was smaller, their negative statements were magnified more
- Illusory Correlations were made by participants
- The negative behaviours of Group B were magnified because the group was smaller
- This led to participants thinking that Group B were more negative people
Method
Aim
Method cont....
To investigate the effects of illusory correlations on perceptions of people
- Group A had 18 positive statements, 8 negative
- Group B had 9 positive statements, 4 negative
- Participants were asked to answer questions about the membs of each group
- Researchers asked participants to read about 2 different groups
- Group A had 26 members, Group B had 13 members
- This difference created a majority and minority group
- Participants had to listen to positive and negative statements about people from each group