Social Evaluations: Objectifying Interactions and Instrumental Relationships

Much of daily interaction occurs in instrumental contexts, whereby the interaction is driven by a goal other than becoming closer to one’s interaction partner. For example, interactions with waitresses, physicians, or employees are primarily instrumental in nature. These interactions may be governed by a particular form of social cognition in which the interaction-partner is perceived primarily as a means to an end; this can lead the perceiver to egocentrically overlook currently unnecessary characteristics of their partner. Some scholars have called this a form of “objectification,” in the sense that the target becomes a tool or object to satisfy the perceiver’s goals.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Human “Resources”? Objectification at Work
Belmi, P., & Schroeder, J. (2020). Human “resources”? Objectification at work. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 120(2), 384.

Power and Decision Making: New Directions for Research in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Fast, N., & Schroeder, J. (2020). Power and decision making: new directions for research in the age of artificial intelligence. Current Opinion in Psychology, 33, 172-176

Functional Intimacy: Needing—But Not Wanting—the Touch of a Stranger
Schroeder, J., Fishbach, A., Schein, C., & Gray, K. (2017). Functional intimacy: Needing—but not wanting—the touch of a stranger. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113, 910-924.

Many Hands Make Overlooked Work: Overclaiming of Responsibility Increases With Group Size
Schroeder, J., Caruso, E., & Epley, N. (2016). Many hands make overlooked work: Overclaiming of responsibility increases with group size. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 22, 238-246.

How to Motivate Yourself and Others? Intended and Unintended Consequences
Schroeder, J., & Fishbach, A. (2015). How to motivate yourself and others? Intended and unintended consequences. Research in Organizational Behavior, 35, 123-141.

The “Empty Vessel” Physician: Instrumentality Makes Physicians Seem Personally Empty
Schroeder, J., & Fishbach, A. (2015). The “empty vessel” physician: Instrumentality makes physicians seem personally empty. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 6, 940-949.

Mistakenly Seeking Solitude
Epley, N., & Schroeder, J. (2014). Mistakenly seeking solitude. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143, 1980-1999.