Devin claims that she does not believe in stereotyping women. But, when she called a technician to help her with a problem she was having with her computer, and the technician turned out to be a woman, a thought flashed through Devin's mind before she could stop herself. "Oh no," she thought, "a woman! A woman won't be able to help me with my problem!" This thought surprised Devin, and she immediately tried to suppress it. What happened in this scenario?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Devin experienced an automatic stereotype (an automatic thought that a woman might not be able to help with a technical problem), which conflicted with her deliberate belief that she does not stereotype women. This illustrates the difference between automatic thoughts and deliberate beliefs.

Devin Claims That She Does Not Believe in Stereotyping Women