Abstract
The present study examined the biasing effects of gender stereotypes on source monitoring by manipulating the source sex, sexual orientation, facial features and statement type in two experiments (Experiment 1: N = 104, 68.3% female, age M = 21.50 years, SD = 4.45; Experiment 2: N = 90, 73.3% female, age M = 20.94 years, SD = 5.06). A significant three-way interaction between source sex, statement type, and sexual orientation emerged in Experiment 1. Source-monitoring accuracy was higher when statements were stereotypically consistent with the source’s sex in the heterosexual conditions. In Experiment 2, a significant three-way interaction between source sex, statement type and facial features was found. Source-monitoring accuracy was higher for statements that were stereotypically consistent with the source’s facial features but for female sources only. Although with qualifications, the present study suggested that under certain conditions, participants relied on gendered facial features when making source attribution decisions.