The Effect of Equating Status Characteristics on the Generalization Process

Abstract

The generalization of information for decision making is a major concern for social psychology. This paper investigates how such generalization is affected by information that equates the actors involved in decision making. We find that when the information that equates actors is diffuse status (age, sex, occupation) it does not seem to combine with or affect information that differentiates actors. Also, it appears that when actors are ranked on their performance abilities, both highand low-rank actors ignore equating characteristics; however, their rank does seem to affect the way in which they generalize differentiating information.