“Relating Pattern Deviancy Aversion to Stigma and Prejudice”, 2017-11-27 (; backlinks):
What predicts people’s powerful and universal dislike of social deviancy?
Across 6 studies, aversion towards non-social pattern deviancy, for example, a row of triangles with one triangle out of line, predicted aversion towards stigmatized individuals, social norm breakers, statistically negative and positive deviants, and a racial minority group (Black individuals).
The relationship between pattern deviancy and social deviancy aversion emerged across explicit and implicit measures, across cultures (United States and China), and was of a moderately large magnitude (meta-analytic effect size: d = 0.68).
Studies 7 & 8 examined developmental differences. Older but not younger children’s pattern deviancy aversion related to their dislike of social norm breakers.
Although non-social pattern deviancy and social deviancy judgements may seem distinct given their differing domains, people’s aversion towards non-social pattern deviancy and social deviancy consistently overlapped. These findings raise the possibility that pattern deviancy aversion plays an important role in stigmatization and prejudice.