Prejudice and Stereotyping Flashcards
Exam 3
What is a stereotype?
A belief that associates a group of people with certain traits (no such thing as a positive stereotype)
What is prejudice?
A preconceived negative judgement towards persons based on their membership to a certain group
- an attitude
- includes feelings, cognitions
What is discrimination?
Negative behaviors towards other groups
What are the 3 perspectives to prejudice and discrimination?
- Economic Perspective
- Motivational Perspective
- Cognitive Perspective
What is realistic conflict theory?
Direct competition for valuable but limited resources lead to conflict and prejudice
Ex: in America competing for jobs
What was Robbers Cave Study (eagles vs. rattlers)?
Made kids at summer camp compete for limited resources
Creates prejudice and stereotypes
This study was able to reverse the results and bring kids back together
What is the economic perspective?
Resources are always limited and prejudiced attitudes increase in times of competition
What is the motivational perspective?
Just need to put people into different categories and prejudice will naturally flow
What is social identity theory?
People favor ingroups over outgroups to enhance their self-esteem
How do people dehumanize outgroups?
People will associate outgroups with lower-order animals (ex: rats, dogs, apes)
What is the cognitive perspective?
Stereotypes are used because they allows us to process information efficiently
Would be most likely to use them when tired, distracted, or mentally taxed
What is an ingroup?
Group to which an individual belongs
What is an outgroup?
Group to which an individual does not belong
What is the ‘outgroup homogeneity effect’?
The tendency to see outgroup category members as all the same, while seeing ingroup members as unique
What are the 2 explanations for ‘outgroup homogeneity effect’?
- Have less opportunities for learning
- We don’t see representative outgroup members
Are stereotyping and prejudice inevitable?
Stereotypes are often activated without awareness and can operate at an “implicit” (unconscious) level
What are the 2 components of the dissociation model?
Automatic and Controlled
What is the automatic process?
Stereotype Activation: assumes everyone knows the stereotypes for different groups
-these stereotypes are automatically activated whenever a cue is present, regardless of personal prejudice level
What is the controlled process?
Stereotype Application: once a stereotype is activated, people can use controlled processes to overcome the influence of the stereotype
- because controlled processes take motivation and effort, they can’t always be used
What did the gun experiment done by Payne do?
Used “IAT” to measure automatic prejudice
Primed participants with white or Black faces and then categorized objects as guns or not
What did the gun experiment done by Payne find?
When primed with Black faces, participants more quickly noticed guns
Also more likely to mistake other objects as guns
What is a stereotype threat?
A self-confirming apprehension that one will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype
Why does stereotype threat happen?
The stereotype is distracting and leaves less attention to focus on task
How do we reduce prejudice?
1) Recategorization
2) Practice inhibiting stereotypes (make it a habit)
3) Increase self-control
4) Education (helps form new social norms)
5) Change social norms
6) Trust and Belonging (to reduce stereotype threat)
7) Culture
8) Contact between groups of equal status of groups, shared goal, broad social norms support contact, one-on-one interactions
