How Did Asian Americans Respond to Negative Stereotypes and Hate Crimes?

Stereotypes and hate crimes are complex issues. Stereotypes usually have three dimensions—Evaluation or valence, Potency, and Accuracy (EPA). According to the EPA model of stereotypes and stereotyping, negative and inaccurate stereotypes are more prone to bias and prejudice. This article uses the EPA model to test two assumptions. First, stereotypes would produce a differential impact on Asian Americans, which is contingent on the accuracy and valence of stereotypes to Asian Americans. Inaccurate negative stereotypes may offend Asian Americans more than accurate negative stereotypes. Second, Asian Americans may be more sensitive or responsive to a hate crime situation in which Asian Americans are racially targeted as the only victims than to one in which both Asian Americans and other minority Americans are racially targeted as victims together. The results from the two studies strongly corroborate these two assumptions, which provide more support for the EPA model of stereotypes and stereotyping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]