The classic studies by Asch and by Hamilton and Gifford demonstrate that researchers can manipulate people’s impressions of others by controlling the information presented to them. This works in the laboratory, but what about in everyday life?

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The evidence suggests that these same principles operate in every social situation, as we evaluate written, oral, and behavioral information about other people and form impressions of their abilities and personalities.

Because humans have limited memory capacities, and because the information we have about other people is often incomplete or flawed, we often fall back on stereotypes (generalized beliefs about a group of people that distinguishes those people from others.)