Prejudice and Discrimination

Question 1

What is the definition of prejudice?

Answer 1

Prejudging an individual based on their group membership

Question 2

What does most of the research on predudice focus on?

Answer 2

Focuses on the experiences by minority groups

Question 3

What are the three components of prejudice?

Answer 3

1. Cognitive: Stereotypes
2. Affective: Emotions
3. Behavioural: Discrimination

Question 4

What in the meaning of prejudice stereotypes?

Answer 4

Beliefs about a specific social group and its members. A rigid set of simple, frequently incorrect and overgenralisation of particular groups
Can be negative or positive

Question 5

Stereotypes are:

Answer 5

1. socially and culturally given
2. Automatic
3. Widely shared/pervasive
4. Persistant

Question 6

What is the stereotype content model by Cuddy, Fiske et al?

Answer 6

Stereotypes vary along to dimensions
1. Perceived warmth: Influenced by groups competitiveness
2. Perceived competence: Influenced by a groups status

Question 7

what are the 4 components of the stereotype content model?

Answer 7

Pity: High in warmth and low in competence e.g elderly, people with a disability
Contempt: Low warmth and low competence e.g poor people, welfare recipients
Admiration: High on warmth and competence e.g Middle class, in-group, Christians
Envy: Low in warmth and high in competence e.g rich people

Question 8

How can stereotypes influence interpretations and attributions of behaviour?

Answer 8

The illusory correlation

Question 9

What is the illusory correlation?

Answer 9

The tendency to overestimate the relationship between two things when distinctive/unusual information is presented e.g minority groups + criminal behaviour

Question 10

What were the results of the Duncan study on stereotype prejudice?

Answer 10

Participants were more likely to see the push as violent when the pusher was black vs white

Question 11

What is the doll experiment?

Answer 11

Minority children shown white and black doll asked which doll is good. Most answered white doll in good.

Question 12

What are emotions in prejudice?

Answer 12

Feelings towards a group and its members, on the basis of their group membership. Can range in positive or negative feelings

Question 13

What is intergroup anxiety known as in prejudice emotions?

Answer 13

Anxiety people experience when interacting with out-group members
Due to:
1. Fear of psychological or behavioral consequences
2. Fear of negative evaluations

Question 14

What is high level of intergroup anxiety associated with?

Answer 14

• Low levels of contact with out-group members
• Greater stereotyping of out-group members
• Assumed dissimilarities to out-group members

Question 15

What is prejudice discrimination known as?

Answer 15

Behaviours towards a group and its members on the basis of their group membership. May be individual or structural/insitutional

Question 16

What are the different forms of discrimination?

Answer 16

Direct - Obvious discrimination and behaviours e.g name calling, tone, confrontation,
Indirect - less obvious behaviours (covert)
Verbal behavious
Non-verbal behavious
Physical behavious

Question 17

What are three types of behviours that don’t look obvious in discrimination but might conceal underlying prejudice?

Answer 17

1. Reluctant to help: passive or actively failing to assist the efforts of other groups trying to improve
2. Tokenism: Publicly making small concessions to a minority group to deflect accusations of prejudice
3. Reverse discrimination: Publicly being prejudiced in favour of the minority group to deflect accusations of prejudice against them

Question 18

What are the psychological consequences of prejudice on victims?

Answer 18

• Elevated stress
• Lowered self-esteem
• Diminished life satisfaction
• Poorer mental health

Question 19

What is the stereotype threat effect?

Answer 19

Performance on a task being undermined due to concerns about possible confirming negative stereotypes about ones group

Question 20

What is structural discrimination?

Answer 20

A network of rules and practices that disadvantages less empowered groups while serving to advantage the dominant group

Question 21

What were the results of Booth et al study on discrimination?

Answer 21

Fake applications were sent to employers with the racial origin of the applicant’s names. Results those with anglo-saxon names had higher call back rates

Question 22

What are the three explanation theories of prejudice?

Answer 22

1. Individual explanation
2. Group-based explanation
3. Cultural explanation

Question 23

What are the two types of individual explanations theories?

Answer 23

1. Right-wing Authoritarianism
2. Social dominance orientation

Question 24

What are the characteristics/attitudes of right-wing authoritaranism?

Answer 24

• Belief in power of authority
• Adhere to conventional values
• Hostile towards those who deviate from conventional values
• Associated with high levels of prejudice

Question 25

What are the characteristics/attitudes of social dominance orientation theories?

Answer 25

- Prefer hierarchy in a social system - Desire for dominance over other groups

Question 26

What is the realistic conflict theory in group-based explanations of prejudice?

Answer 26

Explains that the relationships between groups is due to goal relations Inter-group competition = inter-group conflict = Higher prejudice Inter-group cooperation = Harmony

Question 27

What is the two components of integrated threat theory in group-based explanations of prejudice?

Answer 27

1. Realistic threat - competition with another group, can have negative based on the resources available = threat to existence, power and well-being 2. Symbolic threat - Targeted toward morals, values, and beliefs e.g that immigrants should fit into said country

Question 28

What is the intergroup contact approach/contact hypothesis in reducing prejudice?

Answer 28

Assumes that hostility between groups is fed by unfamiliarity and separation therefore reduce prejudice by bringing groups together

Question 29

What are the optimal conditions that need to occur when bringing groups together according to Allport, 1954?

Answer 29

- Equal status - shared/mutual goals - inter-group cooperation and interdependence - social and institutional support - friendship potential

Question 29

What were the results of Pettigrew et al., 2006 meta-analysis research?

Answer 29

- Inter-group contact typically reduces prejudice = findings universal. Intergroup friendships especially important