Abstract

This research examines the impact of essentialism (Medin, 1989) on the perception of similarity and the differential use of information in order to form an impression about social categories and person targets. Ninety people (age M = 21.6; 68.7% women) of an accidental sample from the region of Magallanes, Chile, were tested on essentialism, and then later asked about inferences regarding groups and people from in-group and out-group, thus assessing the perceived similarity and having the option of using their own information (projection) or typical information (stereotype) to describe them. A non-experimental, correlational design (within variable: similarity, type of information; between variable: essentialism) was used. All the participants were measured with the psychological essentialism scale, similarity perception scale, social projection scale and the use of stereotypical information. The results support the existence of differences between the essentialist participants in the way that they perceive more similarity and use more social projection towards the in-group. No differences in the use of stereotypical information were observed. © 2011 by Psykhe.