Stereotype Content Model

The Stereotype Content Model is a psychological theory that explains how people perceive social groups based on two key dimensions: warmth and competence. Warmth reflects how friendly and trustworthy a group is perceived to be, while competence indicates how capable and effective they are seen. These perceptions influence feelings of admiration, contempt, or pity toward different groups. For example, a group viewed as both warm and competent might be admired, while one seen as neither might be disliked or pitied. This model helps us understand social attitudes and stereotypes in a structured way.