The employment of vertical and horizontal social schemata in the learning of a social structure

Defined vertical and horizontal schemata and tested their effects on social learning using a refined methodology. A new, model vertical social group was developed in which asymmetric relationships were scaled on a continuum of influence frequency. This vertical structure was presented in a paired-associates task to 32 male and 32 female college students instructed to expect either horizontal or vertical relationships between group members. Ss given a vertical orientation not only learned the vertical structure significantly better than those given horizontal instructions, but also differentially responded to status positions. Upper positions were learned faster than lower positions (upward tuning), and in turn, extreme positions were learned better than intermediate positions (end anchoring). Cycles of influence between positions did not appear to disconfirm the schema of vertical Ss. Errors made by Ss given horizontal schema were consistent with predictions that they would falsely expect reciprocity. With horizontal instructions, female Ss persisted longer against schema disconfirmation than did the male Ss. No significant sex differences in schema utilization were seen in the vertical condition. (21 ref)