How’s a list of Cuddy’s four ideal types in the warmth/ competence matrix, along with examples of people who, accordingly to her research, tend to fall into each category:
Warm/Competent -- Fathers
Warm/Incompetent -- Working mothers
Cold/Competent -- Asian students
Cold/Incompetent -- Economically Disadvantaged People
Cuddy hastens to add that coming across effectively is a matter of prioritizing, not of minimizing one trait in favor of the other. The best way to lead, she concludes, “is to com-mutually reinforcing: Feeling a sense of personal strength helps us to be more open, less threatened, and less threatening in stressful situations. When we feel confident and calm, we project authenticity and warmth.”
Bearing in mind that these examples reflect generalized perceptions of people, explain why each group falls into its respective category. Add another group to each category. Explain the role played by stereotyping in assigning people to each category. Finally, to what extent do you yourself tend to succumb to these generalizations?