Registered report stage I: Is it unpleasant to predict kindergarten teacher = man? Testing the emotional response to the anticipation of confirmation or violation of gendered stereotypes

Social interactions are fundamentally shaped by our expectations of others' behavior, and one of the most powerful influences on these expectations is gender stereotypes. Previous research has explored the implications of affirming or violating these stereotypes, tacitly overlooking the impact of the expectations themselves. Here, we aim to investigate (1) the potential emotional responses that arise from the anticipation of affirmation or violation and (2) how these anticipatory states influence emotional reactions to stereotype-related targets. Specifically, we hypothesize that anticipating affirmation (/violations) of gendered expectations will elicit pleasant (/unpleasant) emotions regardless of the actual outcome , and that these anticipatory states will exert a similar influence on the emotional responses to stereotype-related targets. To explore those hypotheses, we will measure the intensity of emotional reactions to emotion-evoking images presented after an anticipatory cue regarding gender-stereotypical expectations (Study 1) or after encountering a cue and an affirming or violating social target (Study 2). To minimize response bias, we will employ evidence accumulation models to provide an indirect, easily interpretable, unbiased, and reliable measurement of emotion intensity. The results are expected to highlight the hitherto neglected aspect of outcome anticipation in person perception. Specifically, the results will highlight whether merely expecting stereotype-violating information triggers unpleasant emotions, potentially contributing to the persistence of prejudice and also tap into why and when individuals prefer (un)certainty.