The dynamics of warmth and competence judgments, and their outcomes in organizations
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Abstract
Two
traits – warmth and competence – govern social judgments of individuals
and groups, and these judgments shape people's emotions and behaviors.
The present chapter describes the causes and consequences of warmth and
competence judgments; how, when and why they determine significant
professional and organizational outcomes, such as hiring, employee
evaluation, and allocation of tasks and resources. Warmth and competence
represent the central dimensions of group stereotypes, the majority of
which are ambivalent – characterizing groups as warm but incompetent
(e.g., older people, working mothers) or competent but cold (e.g.,
“model minorities,” female leaders), in turn eliciting ambivalent
feelings (i.e., pity and envy, respectively) and actions toward members
of those groups. However, through nonverbal behaviors that subtly
communicate warmth and competence information, people can manage the
impressions they make on colleagues, potential employers, and possible
investors. Finally, we discuss important directions for future research,
such as investigating the causes and consequences of how organizations
and industries are evaluated on warmth and competence.
traits – warmth and competence – govern social judgments of individuals
and groups, and these judgments shape people's emotions and behaviors.
The present chapter describes the causes and consequences of warmth and
competence judgments; how, when and why they determine significant
professional and organizational outcomes, such as hiring, employee
evaluation, and allocation of tasks and resources. Warmth and competence
represent the central dimensions of group stereotypes, the majority of
which are ambivalent – characterizing groups as warm but incompetent
(e.g., older people, working mothers) or competent but cold (e.g.,
“model minorities,” female leaders), in turn eliciting ambivalent
feelings (i.e., pity and envy, respectively) and actions toward members
of those groups. However, through nonverbal behaviors that subtly
communicate warmth and competence information, people can manage the
impressions they make on colleagues, potential employers, and possible
investors. Finally, we discuss important directions for future research,
such as investigating the causes and consequences of how organizations
and industries are evaluated on warmth and competence.
