Lecture 8

Question 1

What is the key component of symbolic racism?

Answer 1

Symbolic racism is due to opposing social policies designed to promote intergroup equality. The outgroup is viewed as a symbolic threat

Question 2

What are the 5 themes of symbolic prejudice?

Answer 2

1) Belief that racial prejudice and discrimination no longer exist or are extremely rare
2) Any black-white economic differences result from Black people’s lack of motivation to work hard
3) Black peoples anger over inequality is unjustified because black people are unwilling to work to get what they want
4) Rather than working to get ahead, black people seek special favours
5) Relative to white people, black people get more than they deserve economically. Blames disadvantaged group for inequality

Question 3

What are the 3 places that symbolic prejudice can come from?

Answer 3

1) Negative emotions
2) Belief in traditional values
3) Low-outcome based egalitarianism
4) Group self-interest
5) Little personal knowledge/experience with outgroup

Question 4

What can lead to negative emotions?

Answer 4

Socialization-either directly taught or learned through observation

Question 5

How does a belief in traditional values result in symbolic prejudice?

Answer 5

Minority groups threaten our values like individualism, hard-work, self-reliance, self-restraint

Question 6

What is low-outcome based egalitarianism?

Answer 6

People who are symbolically racist have one idea of egalitarianism; everyone should have a fair, equal chance of success in life and everyone can do this if they work hard.

Question 7

What is outcome based egalitarianism?

Answer 7

The government should determine that everyone, regardless of personal resources, has equal access to societies resources. If you are higher in prejudice, you have less support for this.

Question 8

What is group self-interest?

Answer 8

People promote their own groups self-interest amd respond negatively to perceived attempts to disadvantage their group (ex: support for a disadvantaged group is perceived as a threat)

Question 9

What was Pasek et al’s study on symbolic racism?

Answer 9

Participants completed measures of symbolic racism, presidential approval (Obama), and voting choices.

Question 10

What were the results of Pasek et als study?

Answer 10

Symbolic racism was associated with less approval of Obama and a higher likelihood of not voting for Obama.

Question 11

What would a person high in symbolic racism use as an explanation for not voting for Obama?

Answer 11

Policy

Question 12

What is aversive prejudice?

Answer 12

One holds prejudiced attitudes, but believes they are not prejudiced, finding ways to rationalize prejudiced expressions or discriminatory behaviour. Calling them out on prejudiced behaviour makes them very bothered. Self-reported racial attitudes differ from behaviour

Question 13

What are the main ways of expressing aversive prejudice?

Answer 13

Avoidance of outgroup (symbolic is more about opposition to policy)

Question 14

What are the 2 sets of incompatible values that create aversive prejudice?

Answer 14

1) Socialization in prejudiced/racist traditions- leads to implicit stereotypes and negative emotions
2) Socialization in values like fairness, justice, and equality

Question 15

Why would someone who is aversely prejudiced make a prejudiced statement?

Answer 15

If they can justify their statement to be non-prejudiced/discriminatory.

Question 16

What was Dovidio and Gaerthers study on aversive racism?

Answer 16

Did a study both in 89 and 99. Had white American participants and measured blatant prejudice towards black people (ex: I wouldn’t want to have a black person as a neighbour), and then made a decision on whether to nominate a candidate for a university program (candidate was either white or black, had good, bad, or neutral credentials). Wanted to measure if blatant prejudice changes overtime, and whether discriminatory behaviours would as well

Question 17

What were the results of Dovidio and Gaerthers study?

Answer 17

Blatant prejudice was lower in 99. In both 89 and 99, when qualifications were strong, candidate was recommended whether he was white or black. Opposite for when weak. In the ambiguous condition, participants recommended white participants 70% of the time and black participants 40% of the time. This unclear decision demonstrates discrimination.

Question 18

What can ambiguity do and have consequences on in the real world?

Answer 18

Promotes non-prejudiced/racial explanations to cover actual racism. Could have implications in hiring decisions that are unfair.

Question 19

What is the challenge of aversive prejudice?

Answer 19

People high in aversive racism don’t think they’re prejudiced! Many are massive liberals and get upset if accused of racism

Question 20

What is ambivalent prejudice?

Answer 20

Holding genuinely positive attitudes towards an outgroup while at the same time also holding negative attitudes. Conflict between positive and negative beliefs, and behaviour is sometimes positive and sometimes negative.

Question 21

Why does ambivalent prejudice exist?

Answer 21

Due to having both an individualistic value system AND an egalitarian one. Person prioritizes 1 over the other depending on the situation with the outgroup. Feelings of conflict cause us to try and reduce this conflict by placing emphasis on ONE value set.

Question 22

What were the results of Reyna et al’s study on ambivalent prejudice towards immigrants?

Answer 22

People may hold views of immigrants that are positive and sympathetic, or negative and threatening. These can coexist and attitudes and behaviours can also coexist.