INFLUENCE OF A MALE EARLOBE PIERCING ON JUDGMENT OF SOCIO-PROFESSIONAL GROUP MEMBERSHIP ATTRIBUTION

Céline Jacob, Nicolas Guéguen, Nikolaz Le Vaillant, Fabien Silone

Abstract


Several studies have indicated that men photographed wearing earlobe piercings were perceived negatively. This study, conducted in France, tried to replicate this finding using a forced-choice situation. Participants aged 20 to 50 viewed a photograph of a male target wearing or not wearing an earlobe piercing and were instructed to estimate the target’s socio-professional group using a well-known group list. Findings showed that the target with an earlobe piercing was more frequently associated with a low socio-professional group rather than with a high socio-professional group. These results confirmed that a common cue of facial appearance was sufficient to activate stereotypes of social group membership.

 

Plusieurs études ont montré que les hommes photographiés avec un piercing au lobe de l’oreille étaient perçus négativement. Cette étude, menée en France, a cherché à reproduire ce résultat à l’aide d’une situation de choix forcé. Des participants âgés de 20 à 50 ans ont observé la photo d’un homme portant ou non un piercing au lobe de l’oreille et ont été invités à estimer le groupe socioprofessionnel de cette personne à l’aide d’une liste de groupes bien connue. Les résultats ont montré que le sujet portant un piercing au lobe de l’oreille était plus fréquemment associé à un groupe socioprofessionnel bas qu’à un groupe socioprofessionnel élevé. Ces résultats ont confirmé qu’un indice courant lié à l’apparence faciale suffisait à activer des stéréotypes d’appartenance à un groupe social.


Keywords


piercing, judgment, socio-professional group, stereotype / piercing, jugement, groupe socioprofessionnel, stéréotype

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejhrms.v10i3.2330

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