Status Stereotype Shapes Clothing-Based Competence Perceptions

Perceptions of competence affect important social outcomes, and economic status cues embedded in clothes influence these perceptions. However, the role of individuals’ stereotypes in shaping these judgments remains unclear. This research investigates how economic status stereotypes affect competence judgments based on clothing cues across two cultural contexts. In studies conducted in Singapore (n=98) and the U.S. (n=208), participants judged the competence of individuals paired with expensive- or inexpensive-looking clothes. Participants’ economic status stereotypes were measured using questions about rich and poor people’s competence. In both studies, individuals with stronger economic status stereotypes showed a greater tendency to judge those in expensive-looking clothes as more competent. This effect manifested differently across cultures: in Singapore, it was driven by stereotypes about rich people’s competence, while in the U.S., it centered on stereotypes about poor people’s incompetence. These findings highlight how economic status stereotypes shape social perceptions universally and in culturally specific ways.