Social categorization and joint attention

Interacting effects of age, sex, and social status

Bibliographic Data

ID21283735
AuthorsFrancesca Ciardo (0000-0002-2530-3089, Italian Institute of Technology), Jacopo De Angelis (University of Milano-Bicocca), Barbara F M Marino (0000-0002-2773-1650, University of Milano-Bicocca), Rossana Actis-Grosso (0000-0002-3190-5115, University of Milano-Bicocca), Paola Ricciardelli (0000-0002-1123-2099, University of Milano-Bicocca, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume212
Pages103223
Publication date2021-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueActa Psychologica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0001-6918 • E-ISSN: 1873-6297
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.actpsy.2020.103223
PMID33321406
OpenAlexW3112644250
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited47

In the present study, we examine how person categorization conveyed by the combination of multiple cues modulates joint attention. In three experiments, we tested the combinatory effect of age, sex, and social status on gaze-following behaviour and pro-social attitudes. In Experiments 1 and 2, young adults were required to perform an instructed saccade towards left or right targets while viewing a to-be-ignored distracting face (female or male) gazing left or right, that could belong to a young, middle-aged, or elderly adult of high or low social status. Social status was manipulated by semantic knowledge (Experiment 1) or through visual appearance (Experiment 2). Results showed a clear combinatory effect of person perception cues on joint attention (JA). Specifically, our results showed that age and sex cues interacted with social status information depending on the modality through which it was conveyed. In Experiment 3, we further investigated our results by testing whether the identities used in Experiments 1 and 2 triggered different pro-social behaviour. The results of Experiment 3 showed that the identities resulting as more distracting in Experiments 1 and 2 were also perceived as more in need and prompt helping behaviour. Taken together, our evidence shows a combinatorial effect of age, sex, and social status in modulating the gaze following behaviour, highlighting a complex and dynamic interplay between person categorization and joint attention

Categorization · Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Eye movement · Gaze · Joint attention · Perception · Saccade · Social cognition · Social cue · Social perception · Social status · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Face Recognition and Perception · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social Psychology

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