Pluralistic Ignorance for Automatic and Controlled Expressions of Prejudice

Abstract: Previous research shows clear evidence of pluralistic ignorance regarding prejudice: People believe that others are more prejudiced than they are. However, it is not clear whether these inferences pertain to automatic or controlled prejudice. In this study, participants completed automatic and controlled attitudinal measures regarding several groups, and they estimated how other people would respond to those measures. Participants underestimated how positive other people’s attitudes are, particularly for automatic responses. Still, participants believed that other people can correct and revise these automatic responses and produce more positive controlled responses. However, the presumed controlled responses of others are more negative than participants’ own automatic responses.