Alternative Explanations of Prejudice

Question 1

Who created the frustration-aggression hypothesis to prejudice?

Answer 1

Dollard et al (1940)

Question 2

What does the frustration-aggression hypothesis suggest?

Answer 2

• Frustration always gives rise to aggression and aggression is always caused by frustration
• When we are prevented from being aggressive towards the source of our frustration, we will displace it on a substitute or a ‘scapegoat’

Question 3

Supporting evidence for the frustration-aggression hypothesis

Answer 3

Hovland & Sears
- Found the number of lynching of black people in the US from 1980-1930 correlated with the price of cotton
- As cutting prices dropped the number of lynching increased
- Presumably the economic situation created frustration in the farmers
- The farmers were unable to confront those responsible for it
- They displaced their aggression onto black people

Question 4

What is displacement?

Answer 4

Unconsciously taking frustration out on another source rather than the real source of anger in order to avoid admitting to the real source of frustration

Question 5

What is projection?

Answer 5

Projecting your own anger, frustration, angst, fear, anxieties onto another to avoid confronting these feelings in yourself

Question 6

Authoritarian personality as an explanation prejudice

Answer 6

• Adorno argued that authoritarian personality possess specific traits or characteristics that meant they were more likely to be hostile to people of a minority categories
• People with authority and personalities tend to have very conventional and traditional views and conform to wider social norms due to their upbringing
• Having an authoritarian personality makes people more vulnerable to prejudice attitudes however it does not cause it

Question 7

2 supporting studies- Authoritarianism as an explanation of prejudice

Answer 7

• Rubinstein
• Peterson et al

Question 8

Rubinstein - supporting evidence of authoritarianism as an explanation for prejudice

Answer 8

• Measured the relationship between authoritarianism, religion and gender attitudes in 165 Jewish students
• Found those high in authoritarianism tended to be more religious and have more traditional views to gender
• Therefore there were more prejudice towards other groups and non-traditional views

Question 9

Peterson et al - supporting evidence of authoritarianism as an explanation for prejudice

Answer 9

• Student scoring higher on authoritarianism tests were more likely to endorse harsh punitive sentiments and solutions to problems with aids and drugs and less likely to endorse more egalitarian ones
• They were also more likely to express hostility towards the environmental movement rather than towards polluters

Question 10

Competing evidence - authoritarianism as an explanation for prejudice

Answer 10

Doty et al
- US levels of authoritarianism varied in the late 1970s-1980s
- i.e the Cold War in Russia
- This was due to the perceived threat from external sources
- This supports realistic conflict theory not authoritarianism as an explanation for prejudice
- because authoritarianism would reflect a relatively fixed internal personality traits and so prejudice should not be so influenced by external factors

Question 11

Culture as an explanation of prejudice

Answer 11

• Culture can be an influence on prejudice if that culture has existing social norms that legitimise prejudice attitudes and behaviour
• If the culture has strict religious regimes or laws they will be more likely to endorse prejudice practices