lecture 7 prejudice and discrimination Flashcards
prejudice
derogatory social attitudes or cognitive beliefs, the expression of negative affect, or the display of hostile or discriminatory behaviour towards members of a group
components of prejudice
Cognitive – beliefs about the ‘attitude object’
2. Affective – strong feelings (usually negative) about the
‘attitude object’ and its perceived qualities
3. Conative – intentions to behave in a particular way to the ‘attitude object’ (only intentions not actual behavior)
discrimination
unjust or prejudicial treatment of different
categories of people, especially on the grounds of race,
age, or sex” (Oxford Dictionary, 2014)
• The behavioural component/ expression of prejudice
conscious or unconscious
attitude - behaviour relationshi[
additudes dont always predict behaviour
lapiere- attitudes private and are not often expressed in behaviour
depends on the context
ie public expression? identification with in group? accessability of attitude?
traditional prejudice
commonplace segregation between black and white until 60s
dramatic decline in overt expression but still in modern society
modern prejudice
discrepancy between attitude and inability to express attitude in society leads to expressed avoidance of group/topic or denial of prejudice/disadvantage of group/need to address issues for group
problem with modern prejudice
hard to detect as people try to conceal or control their true attitudes
what is a vigilance task to detect modern racism (Devine)
Subliminally primed with words ‘flankers’ associated with African American stereotype - pos and neg (e.g. lazy, slavery, athletic, musical) and with neutral words ( 80% or 20% Stereotypical words)
ask to interpret ambiguous description as either hostile or fair - when prime 80% stereotype, people interpret in hostile manner
Lepore & Brown,1997 & devine eval
prejudice not necessarily automatic when activate stereotype
Only high-prejudice people activate negative ST
− Low-prejudice people activate positive aspects
− When we perceive member of stereotyped group, we
respond automatically according to representation we
have in mind
• High-prejudice = negative attitudes/ behaviour
• Low prejudice = positive attitudes/ behaviour
social identity theory explanation of prejudice
prejudice of out group to maintain own positive identity - achieve positive distinctiveness
terror management explanation of prejudice
predisposed for self preservation and awareness of own mortality conflicts with this
dopt cultural systems or worldviews that
help them achieve immortality
either –
Symbolic: being remembered after one’s death
Literal: the promise of an afterlife after death
Out-groups challenge this worldview (e.g. alternative
religions)
Prejudice towards these out-groups as a way of
delegitimising their opposing worldview
problem with terror management explanation
fails to account for distinction between own mortality threat leading to prejudice and actual prejudice against someone
Subjective Uncertainty Reduction Theory explanation of prejudice
to avoid ambiguity, humans adopt in groups that provide clear prescriptions of how to behave and improves own self esteem when good members
display prejudice to out group to deal with uncertainty about their different group norms
self fulfilling prophecy and prejudice
rosenthal and jacobsen ‘bloomers’
expectations lead to reality
chnage behaviour to fulfil expectation
stereotype threat and prejudice
People do not like being stereotyped – often strive to show they do not fit negative stereotype of their group
Stereotype threat: fear of confirming stereotype through
one’s own behaviour
– This fear interferes with our performance ability
– Intellectual performance often measured as outcome of ST threat
ie gender diff in maths
