Measuring Stereotypes: A Comparison of Methods Using Russian and American Samples.

The stereotypes of Americans and Russians held by American and Russian students were compared by using three measurement techniques: checklist, percentage, and diagnostic ratio. Two additional techniques were used with American samples: prototype and pathfinder. The high level of agreement that was obtained for the checklist, percentage, diagnostic ratio, and prototype techniques suggests that the same type of cognitive processing was elicited by all of these techniques. The pathfinder technique showed that American students' stereotypes of Russians have a more complex structure than their stereotypes of Americans. Russians and Americans generally agreed on the stereotypes of Americans, but differed on the stereotypes of Russians. The stereotypes of both nationalities were predominantly favorable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]