Meeting a deviant person: Subjective norms and affective reactions

Abstract

Abstract Studied differences in verbal, nonverbal, and physiological responses during a confrontation with a male confederate role‐playing either a physically handicapped (PH), homosexual (HS), or normal (NOR) person. One hundred and eight males from colleges of economics and engineering listened in a laboratory experiment to personal introductions by two confederates in succession. Whereas the first confederate always appeared normal, the second took one of the three roles mentioned. A further informal meeting with this confederate was arranged outside the laboratory; all subjects had taken a stereotype test before. Normative differences between PH and HS (p ≤ 0.05) are found on verbal measures including the stereotype test, self‐rated emotion and consent to a further contact. General effects of deviance separating PH and HS from NOR (p ≤ 0.05) emerge on observed emotion, interpersonal distance during the informal meeting, and skin‐resistance responses. The results largely confirm the hypotheses. They are interpreted as supporting a distinction between intended (action‐type) components of behaviour which are strongly influenced by subjective norms, and unintended (reaction‐type) components reflecting undifferentiated reactions to deviance.