Accessibility and fit as determinants of the salience of social categorizations

The present article proposes a theoretical model of factors affecting the salience of social categorizations. The model is strongly related to the accessibility×fit formulation by Bruner (1957) and to Oakes' (1987) functional perspective on category salience. The results of an experimental series using the ‘Who said what?’ paradigm are presented, which examined several hypotheses derived from the model. In Study I it was shown that the salience of a social categorization with high chronic accessibility (sex categorization) was related to perceptions of issue relevance (normative fit) and intercategory differences (meta-contrast ratio). Furthermore, in line with the salience model measures to increase the situational accessibility, (i.e. a priming procedure) of categorizations with low chronic accessibility (educational group and home town categorizations) failed to affect category salience as long as participants perceived no comparative and normative fit of these categorizations (Study II). Under conditions where comparative fit of these categorizations was perceived, however, the priming procedure successfully enhanced category salience (Studies II and III). Results are largely consistent with the hypotheses derived from the salience model and support Oakes' functional approach to category salience. Finally, the complex interrelation between situational accessibility and perceived fit will be discussed.