Gossip is a little studied topic and even fewer studies have examined gossip from the perspective of social identity and self categorization theories. However, many of the functions of gossip have significant implications for group processes, including bonding, norm transmission and reinforcement, marginalization of deviants, and social influence. Particularly for those on the margins of the group, gossip may be used as a tool to gain acceptance in the group, as gossip is an effective way to express group loyalty and adherence to group norms. Study One investigated the extent to which being a prototypical member of one's group was predictive of likelihood to spread gossip. Using sororities as the group, members were presented with a hypothetical piece of gossip and asked the extent to which the member who gossiped is prototypical, how likely they would be to share the gossip with other group members, and how prototypical they perceive themselves to be of the sorority. It was predicted that peripheral group members would be more likely to spread gossip than central group members, particularly about other peripheral group members, and particularly when the information was not highly negative. Study Two was conducted in parallel, using the same methodology, but with a piece of gossip about a celebrity instead of a fellow sorority member. It was predicted that the results would mirror those of Study One and that peripheral members would be most likely to spread the gossip. While none of the stated hypotheses were supported, there were several unanticipated interactions. In both Study One and Study Two, there was a significant three-way interaction, in that a highly uncertain respondent, a prototypical target, and relatively mildly negative gossip was associated with anticipated transmission to the highest number of sorority members. While the results were unanticipated, they are not inexplicable and the implications for research in the areas of gossip, celebrity, and self categorization theory are discussed.

This thesis presents two separate and complementary tools for understanding and analyzing design patterns. The first tool, the High-Level Pattern Representation (HiLPR), exposes the fundamental characteristics hidden within a design pattern's solution. This tool combines the information in parallel patterns' solutions and forces, and integrates information that is critical for pattern implementation. The second tool, the Dynamic Pattern Categorization (DPC), works between all of the patterns in an entire pattern language, and groups patterns of similar characteristics to support analysis and selection. Possible categories are presented and discussed, and further work can combine the exposure of characteristics from HiLPR into categorization by the DPC. The evaluation of these tools highlights a hidden weakness of current design pattern languages and practices. The conclusions raised by this work suggest that there are methods that will support pattern language construction. / Graduate

We often think of stigmatized individuals as encountering only one stereotype set at a time. Yet, many individuals belong to multiple stigmatized groups, and stereotypes associated with these groups jointly influence how perceivers evaluate targets. Research suggests that perceivers integrate stereotypes about targets’ obvious identities during impression formation; however, no work has examined whether targets’ obvious (e.g., race) and ambiguous (e.g., sexual orientation) identities jointly influence impressions. Given that gay stereotypes are activated automatically, I expected the co-activation of contradictory Black (e.g., aggressive) and gay (e.g., warm) stereotypes to arouse conflict, weakening activation of negative stereotypes and improving evaluations of Black gay targets compared with Black straight targets. Participants in Study 1 rated faces of White straight men as more likable than White gay men, but rated Black gay men as more likable than Black straight men. Participants in Study 2 performed a race-categorization task designed to make race salient; nevertheless, sexual orientation still influenced impressions, producing a pattern similar to Study 1. Participants in Studies 3A (approach-avoidance task) and 3B (evaluative priming task) formed implicit impressions that converged with the explicit evaluations in Studies 1 and 2. In 3A, participants approaching Whites responded faster to straights than gays, whereas participants approaching Blacks responded faster to gays than straights. In 3B, participants recognized positive words somewhat (but not significantly) faster when primed with White straight (versus White gay) and Black gay (versus Black straight) faces. Studies 4A – C suggest that ambiguous categories modify the activation of obvious stereotypes, but do not make targets’ features look less prototypical of their obvious groups. In 4B, participants were slower to recognize Black-stereotypic words (piloted in 4A) when primed with Black gay (versus Black straight) faces. In 4C, participants rated Black straight and gay faces as similarly prototypical of Black phenotypes. Taken together, this work presents implications for stereotyping in the case of multiply-categorizable targets and for impression formation involving ambiguous categories.

We often think of stigmatized individuals as encountering only one stereotype set at a time. Yet, many individuals belong to multiple stigmatized groups, and stereotypes associated with these groups jointly influence how perceivers evaluate targets. Research suggests that perceivers integrate stereotypes about targets’ obvious identities during impression formation; however, no work has examined whether targets’ obvious (e.g., race) and ambiguous (e.g., sexual orientation) identities jointly influence impressions. Given that gay stereotypes are activated automatically, I expected the co-activation of contradictory Black (e.g., aggressive) and gay (e.g., warm) stereotypes to arouse conflict, weakening activation of negative stereotypes and improving evaluations of Black gay targets compared with Black straight targets. Participants in Study 1 rated faces of White straight men as more likable than White gay men, but rated Black gay men as more likable than Black straight men. Participants in Study 2 performed a race-categorization task designed to make race salient; nevertheless, sexual orientation still influenced impressions, producing a pattern similar to Study 1. Participants in Studies 3A (approach-avoidance task) and 3B (evaluative priming task) formed implicit impressions that converged with the explicit evaluations in Studies 1 and 2. In 3A, participants approaching Whites responded faster to straights than gays, whereas participants approaching Blacks responded faster to gays than straights. In 3B, participants recognized positive words somewhat (but not significantly) faster when primed with White straight (versus White gay) and Black gay (versus Black straight) faces. Studies 4A – C suggest that ambiguous categories modify the activation of obvious stereotypes, but do not make targets’ features look less prototypical of their obvious groups. In 4B, participants were slower to recognize Black-stereotypic words (piloted in 4A) when primed with Black gay (versus Black straight) faces. In 4C, participants rated Black straight and gay faces as similarly prototypical of Black phenotypes. Taken together, this work presents implications for stereotyping in the case of multiply-categorizable targets and for impression formation involving ambiguous categories.

This study examines gender typing of industrial products in the activity of industrial design. Thus firstly, the meaning of gender, related theories and gender stereotypes have been reviewed through the literature survey in order to pinpoint the stereotypical attributes assigned to men and women through society and culture. Secondly, the effect of the stereotypical gender attributes on the act of possessing products have been examined. In return, a literature survey on the cognitive aspects of design has been conducted in order to question whether these gender attributes might have a similar impact on the design activity. The findings of the literature survey pointed towards categorical information processing theories as an appropriate tool to gender type products and also as a tool to measure the gender qualities of a product. To test the applicability of the methodology of categorization a study has been conducted with industrial designers and industrial design students in which the students were asked to design gender typed products and industrial designers were asked to rate their perceptions of genderedness of the designs. The test revealed the existence of a mental library consisting of categorized images corresponding to stereotypical gender attributes in the individuals, thus preparing the grounds for the use of this process in the industrial design activity.

国立情報学研究所で電子化したコンテンツを使用している。

国立情報学研究所で電子化したコンテンツを使用している。

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-139). Also available via World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2008. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Thesis (M.A.)--Kent State University, 2006. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed June 12, 2007). Advisor: William E. Merriman. Keywords: language development, language, word learning, form, function, shape bias, function neglect. Includes survey instruments. Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-39).