All people do not discriminate in all situations. Martell studies organizations and gender discrimination in the work place. His research reveals that attitudes don't always result in predictable actions, Martell said. People with stereotypes may act one way in one situation and another way in another. People are more likely to discriminate when they're distracted and busy, Martell said.
People also fall back on stereotypes when they have to rely on their memory.
When we actively construct memory, we are more likely to rely on stereotypes to inform us what we think we saw. The result is to better remember information that confirms our stereotype. The good news about discrimination is that it isn't necessarily intentional, Martell said. People, in specific instances, can be motivated to go against their stereotypes and act fairly. They say, 'This is serious.