Racial Stereotyping and Political Attitudes: The View From Political Science

While political science has made effective use of research on the psychology of stereotyping, psychology has not benefited from political science in the same way. This chapter argues that the study of racial stereotypes can be improved by a mutual effort on the part of political scientists and psychologists alike to better understand and apply the methods and perspectives that dominate each discipline. Discussion focuses on three principal disciplinary contrasts. First, while psychology has typically been concerned with the processes underlying stereotypes, political science has focused on the collective sources and political consequences of stereotyping. Second, while political science could benefit from more experimentation, psychologists should implement research designs to enhance the external validity of their research. Finally, both disciplines are limited to the extent that they typically focus on the beliefs of the dominant group, and stereotyping research would benefit from a greater emphasis on the beliefs of racial minorities.