Motivational inXuences on compliance with and consequences of instructions to suppress stereotypes

Two experiments investigated diVerences in compliance with instructions to suppress stereotypes as a function of prejudice-related motivations. In Experiment 1, only participants identiWed as high in motivation to control prejudice [Dunton, B. C., & Fazio, R. H. (1997). An individual diVerence measure of motivation to control prejudiced reactions. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 316–326] complied with suppression instructions. These participants experienced post-suppression rebound eVects, but only if they were also high in prejudice. In Experiment 2, only participants identiWed as high in external motivation to respond without prejudice [Plant, E. A., & Devine, P. G. (1998). Internal and external motivation to respond without prejudice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 811–832] complied with instructions to suppress. These participants later experienced stereotype rebound eVects, but only if they were also low in internal motivation to respond without prejudice. These Wndings suggest that motivational factors play an important role in determining not only the outcome of suppression, but also the choice to attempt suppression in the Wrst place. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.