Suppose that Tim is relatively prejudiced against college athletes (he believes that they are overly aggressive and nonintellectual), while Alex does not appear to be prejudiced against college athletes. Research suggests that Tim and Alex differ in that ____.
A) Alex has less factual knowledge about college athletes than Tim does.
B) Alex knows fewer college athletes than Tim does.
C) Alex does not call to mind stereotypes about college athletes when he meets them, whereas Tim does.
D) Both call to mind stereotypes about college athletes when they meet them, but Alex overrides such stereotypes with other conscious beliefs, whereas Tim does not.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This scenario suggests that Tim and Alex may hold different levels of prejudice towards college athletes. The fact that Tim "believes" college athletes are overly aggressive and nonintellectual implies that he may hold preconceived notions or stereotypes about this group. On the other hand, the scenario states that Alex "does not appear to be prejudiced," which suggests that he may not hold as many stereotypes or biases towards college athletes as Tim. Both individuals may still call to mind stereotypes about college athletes when they meet them, but the crucial difference is that Alex overrides such stereotypes with other conscious beliefs, whereas Tim does not. This aligns with research that suggests individuals can consciously choose to override stereotypes with more positive or accurate beliefs. Therefore, option D is the best choice.

Suppose That Tim Is Relatively Prejudiced Against College Athletes (He