Abstract

Two experiments were performed to test the influence of information of the ingroup-outgroup norms on the sexism(Exp.1) and the regional prejudice(Exp.2). Norms(an equality norm advocating the affirmative action for women or Honam people /an unequality norm opposing the affirmative action for women or Honam people) and the group(ingroup/outgroup) of the participants were manipulated on the internet boards. Dependent variables were the explicit attitude regarding affirmation action policy and the IAT effects. In Exp.1 (N=160) and Exp.2 (N=118), participants in the ingroup-equality norm condition showed more favorable attitude regarding the affirmative action policy than those in the ingroup-unequality norm condition. The outgroup norms did not elicit any attitude change. Results of the analysis of the IAT effects suggested that male participants in the ingroup-equality norm condition showed significantly less implicit prejudice than those in the ingroup-unequality norm condition. The results of the multiple regression mediation analysis demonstrated that the information of the ingroup norm in comparison with the outgroup norm affected the explicit attitudes through the mediation process in which the exposure to the ingroup norm changed the perception of people's tolerance of prejudice expression. However, this mediation effect was found only for the implicit attitude measures of the regional prejudice, but not for the implicit measures of the sexism. The theoretical and the practical implications of these findings were discussed.