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Perpetuating Dumb Blond Jokes

THURSDAY JULY 15 2004 5:00 AM

Submitted by Christopher. Edited By Christopher.

German social psychologists have found that when blond women perform intelligence tests after they have read a “dumb blond” joke they significantly take longer to complete the test.

Some 80 women of various hair colors were tested on their mental capacity to work quickly and precisely in a series of psychometric tests. Before sitting the tests, half the participants had to read "dumb blonde" jokes, such as:

"Why do blondes open yogurt pots while still at the supermarket? -- Because it says 'Open Here' on the lid."

"No blonde woman believes she is stupid," said Jens Foerster a social psychologist from the International University Bremen in northern Germany on Wednesday.
"But after exposure to negative social-stereotypes about them, the fair-haired participants performed significantly more slowly in the tests."

While it is unfortunate that people are creating studies that test the negative consequences of “dumb blonde” jokes, it is interesting to see that the perpetuation of a stereotype reinforces the stereotype itself.

21 Comments

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Mnemesis

Japan

June 2004

JUL 15, 2004 05:36 AM

soooo. . .blonde study in germany. . .
hmmmmm. . .
anyone see any wierdness there?

Jaklyn

Toronto, ON

January 2004

JUL 15, 2004 05:54 AM

"performed significantly more slowly in the tests."

more slowly? is this woman blonde, too?

feyd

Albuquerque, NM

January 2003

JUL 15, 2004 06:34 AM

I think this would go for anybody, any time. Expose yourself to a significant amount of negative stimuli about yourself and you will perform slightly worse on a test.

Way to go science guys. We now know blonde jokes effect blondes. Still no cure for cancer, though . . .

rac1977

United Kingdom

October 2003

JUL 15, 2004 06:51 AM

are we talking natural or bleached blondes though?

wrnits

Montreal, QC

June 2003

JUL 15, 2004 10:43 AM

They should have said the same jokes to brunettes and tested thme, as well. My theory is that such jokes make everyone dumber.

FreakPirate

Calgary, AB

November 2002

JUL 15, 2004 10:50 AM

This study proves nothing to me excpet that the scientific community of the world has their priorities really fucked up.

Al

SUICIDEGIRL

Christmas Island

JUL 15, 2004 11:59 AM

limonaid said:
"performed significantly more slowly in the tests."

more slowly? is this woman blonde, too?

Grammar police finds no problem with this, so are you asking if they all performed slowly in the first place?

So, if they worked more slowly does that mean they got lower scores?

lamdalamdalamda

Chicago, IL

February 2003

JUL 15, 2004 12:13 PM

Al said:
So, if they worked more slowly does that mean they got lower scores?

i think that they said that blondes get told blond jokes before the test go slower deliberately, to make sure that they have the right answer.

skryche

New York, NY

January 2003

JUL 15, 2004 12:47 PM

Does anybody know any jokes stereotyping me as being good in bed?

[Edited on Jul 15, 2004 12:47PM]

theangus

Raleigh, NC

January 2004

JUL 15, 2004 12:48 PM

the grammar is so fucked up in this one.

1Aura1

Milwaukee, WI

March 2004

JUL 15, 2004 01:08 PM

Wait let me get this right the blonde haired blue eyed germans just declared half thier population is stupid

[Edited on Jul 15, 2004 1:08PM]

ProfZoom

Sun Prairie, WI

March 2004

JUL 15, 2004 02:24 PM

Sooooo, how 'bout that cure for AIDS, huh?

Jaklyn

Toronto, ON

January 2004

JUL 15, 2004 04:46 PM

Al said:

limonaid said:
"performed significantly more slowly in the tests."

more slowly? is this woman blonde, too?

Grammar police finds no problem with this, so are you asking if they all performed slowly in the first place?

So, if they worked more slowly does that mean they got lower scores?

wel, i meant "more slowly" should be "slower," but i could be wrong?