Out of mind but back in sight: Stereotypes on the rebound.

TLDR

Social perceivers often try to suppress stereotypic thoughts, but evidence suggests that suppression can backfire, producing a rebound effect that makes the thoughts more persistent. This study investigated whether suppressing stereotypic thoughts about others elicits such a rebound. The authors conducted an experiment in which participants attempted to suppress stereotypes about target individuals and were then assessed on various dependent measures. The findings revealed that stereotype suppressors responded more pejoratively toward the target than control participants, providing strong support for the rebound effect.

Abstract

For a variety of reasons, social perceivers may often attempt to actively inhibit stereotypic thoughts before their effects impinge on judgment and behavior. However, research on the psychology of mental control raises doubts about the efficacy of this strategy. Indeed, this work suggests that when people attempt to suppress unwanted thoughts, these thoughts are likely to subsequently reappear with even greater insistence than if they had never been suppressed (i.e., a ''rebound'' effect). The present research comprised an investigation of the extent to which this kind of rebound effect extends to unwanted stereotypic thoughs about others. The results provided strong support for the existence of this effect. Relative to control subjects (i.e., stereotype users), stereotype suppressors responded more pejoratively to a stereotyped target on a range of dependent measures. We discuss our findings in the wider context of models of mind, thought suppression, and social stereotyping.