Lecture 4 - Stereotypes Flashcards
Define the term Stereotype
A picture inside our head that helps us form impressions of people and justify social hierarchies
The collection of traits that society associates with a particular social group (Brown 1995)
Beliefs about the characteristics, attributes, and behaviours of members of certain groups (Hilton and Von Hippel 1996, p. 240)
Define the term Prejudice
An attitude is a general, enduring positive or negative feeling about some person, object, or issue.
Prejudice is the term we use for a negative attitude held towards a social group or its members.
Define the term Discrimination
Negative behaviours towards a person because of their group membership
we use terminology for stereotyping and or prejudice and or discrimination against particular social groups. give examples
Sexism, Ableism, racism, ageism, hetereosexism (sexual prejudice), anti-semitism
Define Categorisation
The act / process of putting people or things into categories, eg vegetables, lectures.
Social categorisation
The process of putting people into groups based on social categories eg age, gender, race.
What does social categorisation help us with?
People perception - As they have accompanying stereotyping allowing us to make judgements about a persons disposition
Social categorisation is evolutionarily adaptive, allowing us to identify members of groups that are or are not allied with our own, ie, so we know who we can trust
What specific terminology do social psychologists use to refer to groups that we do or do not consider ourselves to be apart of?
Ingroup and Outgroup
What is Ingroup?
Groups that we do consider ourselves to be apart of
Ingroup specifically are groups with which an individual feels a sense of membership, belonging and identity
eg students
What is Outgroup?
Groups we do not consider ourselves to be a part of
Outgroup specifically refers to Groups with which an individual does not feel a sense of membership, belonging and identity
eg
lecturer
What are stereotypes?
A social construct as they are learnt from parents, peers, media etc
How did stereotypes come to exist?
Social explanations and cognitive explanations
Social explanation says - Stereotype Content Model
Cognitive explanation says - Illusory Correlation
What is the Stereotype Content Model?
Stereotype content reflects changes in society, stereotypes changes as society changes.
Theyre classified along 2 key dimensions of warmth and competence, linked to the group’s current status in society (ie their position in the social hierarchy) and potential for competition (in terms of resources)
What is warmth?
About intent and is linked to competition for resources
Low competition > perceptions of positive intentions > high warmth stereotypes eg friendly, trustworthy, honest, likable, sincere)
High competition > perception of negative intentions > low warmth stereotypes such as unfriendly, only out for themselves, dishonest, devious etc
What is Competence?
About capability and is linked to the group’s status in society
High status > perceptions of high capability > high competence stereotypes
eg intelligent, skilled, efficient, assertive, confident
Low status > perception of low capability > low competence stereotypes
eg unintelligent, weak
What is Illusory Correlation?
When two statistically infrequent (uncommon) events are paired, the correlation between the two is overestimated due to their distinctiveness > false (illusory) correlation
when two rare things occur at the same time, we think they’re related in some way, forming a false correlation
What is Stereotype activation?
The degree to which a stereotype is accessible in the mind
then you apply it w stereotype application
What is Stereotype application?
The actual use of activated stereotypes in judgements
eg forming an impression, applying stereotypes
What is a way of measuring stereotype activation?
The Lexical Decision Task -
A common measure of stereotype activation
Why do people stereotype?
Stereotypes may act as an energy-saving device
Simplifies information processing and reduces cognitive load
Can be thought of as a judgemental heuristics - A mental short cut for streamlining social perception
What is the Dual Task Paradigm?
doing 2 things at once, dividing out cog resources over 2 tasks
Why do people stereotype? 2nd reason
Stereotypes may serve a justification function
EG SYSTEM JUSTIFICATION THEORY - argues that ppl wanna believe that social systems are fair and legitimate. Stereotypes can help rationalise any inequality that exists
Broader than just ab stereotypes.
What are the ways that stereotypes are pursued or continued?
People are more likely to seek out stereotype confirming information, and this reinforces their stereotypes, which may be one reason why stereotypes persist
What are Ultimate Attribution Errors?
Negative/ Stereotypic Behaviours are attributed to disposition
Positive/Counter stereotypic behaviours are attributed to situation
What is a stereotype threat?
Concern experienced by a person when its possible they may act in a way that is consistent w negative stereotypes
What is the consequence of a stereotype threat?
Reinforcing negative stereotypes
