Stereotyping Among Graduate Students in Mental Health Fields: An EEG Study

Counselors are obligated to work effectively with diverse groups, yet human tendencies toward stereotyping and biases can impede counselors’ efforts. Understanding implicit processes in social cognition and factors that might affect them is important because implicit stereotyping and biases can influence counselors’ work. In this study we tested the hypothesis that graduate students in mental health fields would show indicators of implicit stereotyping in a perceptual judgment task. Both behavioral and neural (ERP) measures were used as indexes for stereotyping. We also hypothesized that mindful observing and multicultural awareness would moderate stereotyping effects. Our first hypothesis was partially supported, as participants showed ERP and behavioral markers of stereotyping toward black men and white women. Our hypotheses regarding moderators were not supported, as these stereotyping effects were not moderated by mindful observing or multicultural awareness. Implications for counseling practice, counselor educator programs, and counseling research are discussed.