The neural correlates of implicit theory violation

Abstract

The present study examined whether perceivers’ implicit theories about the fixedness of intelligence would modulate neurophysiological responses to stereotype-violating and stereotype-confirming information. Brain activity was recorded using EEG as participants read a series of stereotype-confirming or stereotype-violating behaviors performed by a target character. Compared to incremental theorists (who believe that intelligence is malleable), entity theorists (who believe that intelligence is fixed) displayed more pronounced N400 responses to stereotype-violating behaviors. In contrast, incremental theorists exhibited more pronounced N400 responses than entity theorists to stereotype-confirming behaviors. These results shed light on basic processes in Person Memory by suggesting that perceivers make a distinction at the neurocognitive level between stereotype violations versus implicit theory violations.

Keywords:

• Implicit theories
• Event-related potentials
• Stereotyping

Notes

¹ While acknowledging the potential for the 1–30 Hz filter to attenuate low-frequency activity, we settled on this filter setting because lower settings resulted in the elimination of a significant number of participants who had insufficient usable trials, resulting in only 30 usable participants.

² The Mauchly’s test of sphericity indicated that the assumption of sphericity was violated (p < .001). Thus, Greenhouse-Geisser corrections were used and reported where appropriate.