A Below‐Average Effect with Respect to American Political Stereotypes on Warmth and Competence

The “above‐average effect” is the phenomenon that people tend to judge themselves above average on desirable traits. Based on social identity theory, we propose that a “below‐average effect” may arise when individuals rate themselves and the average ingroup member on traits stereotypically associated with the ingroup. In two studies, R epublican and D emocrat participants rated themselves and the average political ingroup member on possession of desirable traits related to warmth and competence. Current political stereotypes in A merica associate the former dimension with D emocrats and the latter with R epublicans. Consistent with our hypothesis, the above‐average effect was moderated by political group and dimension in interaction. In particular, D emocrats rated themselves below the average D emocrat on warmth and R epublicans rated themselves below the average R epublican on competence.