prominent theories

Question 1

when was scientific racism dominant?

Answer 1

18th-19th centuries, pre 1920s

Question 2

what is the scientific racism view of prejudice?

Answer 2

prejudice is justified by data on evolutionary differences between white and non-white people

Question 3

who is Samuel Morton?

Answer 3

American doctor who popularized the idea that race could be correlated with skull size, which reflected group differences in intelligence

Question 4

when did phrenology gain popularity? why?

Answer 4

• 1830s-40s
• used to scientifically justify the continued practice of slavery

Question 5

when were psychodynamic theories dominant?

Answer 5

1920s-50s

Question 6

why did psychodynamic theories rise to prominence?

Answer 6

• historical context of explicit racism and the after math of the holocaust
• people wanted to leave scientific racism behind
• tried to explain why individuals are prejudiced and how the actions of the holocaust could be psychologically explained

Question 7

what is the psychodynamic view of prejudice?

Answer 7

• prejudice is irrational and unjustifiable
• rooted in individual difference (personality traits, unconscious defence mechanisms, projection of frustrations onto minorities)

Question 8

what is the authoritarian personality? (who, when)

Answer 8

• a set of personality traits associated with belief in obedience to authority and oppression of subordinate groups
• Adorno, 1950

Question 9

what is the psychodynamic explanation for the authoritarian personality?

Answer 9

• the id produces negative impulses, which cannot be properly controlled by the ego
• psychic conflict then projects those negative impulses onto minority groups and greater respect for authority

Question 10

when were sociocultural theories dominant?

Answer 10

1960s and 70s, during the civil rights movement

Question 11

what is the sociocultural view of prejudice?

Answer 11

prejudice is a manifestation of cultural norms and values

Question 12

when were cognitive theories dominant?

Answer 12

1980s to present

Question 13

what is the cognitive view of prejudice?

Answer 13

• prejudice is a universal phenomenon that emerges from low-level mental processes
• prejudice is a feature of the mind, which may not be “right” but is to be expected

Question 14

who popularized the cognitive theory of prejudice?

Answer 14

Gordon Allport

Question 15

what is schema theory (in regards to stereotypes/inter-group relations)?

Answer 15

• people organize info in their minds by subconsciously creating categories and scripts through experience or exposure
• stereotypes can be explained as “schemas gone wrong”, as our generalizations and categorizations are projected onto groups of people in a way that is harmful or inaccurate
• part of the cognitive model of prejudice

Question 16

when were evolutionary theories dominant?

Answer 16

1990s to present

Question 17

what is the evolutionary view of prejudice?

Answer 17

• prejudice has helped to address social problems in our evolutionary past
• avoidance tendencies when confronted with outgroup members, approach tendencies for friends/family/community members

Question 18

when were intergroup relations theories dominant?

Answer 18

1970s, during a period of persistent group conflicts in the US and worldwide

Question 19

what is the intergroup relations theory of prejudice?

Answer 19

• prejudice is a manifestation of relationships between groups
• social structures work to reinforce prejudice in various ways

Question 20

what is social identity theory?

Answer 20

• social identity = the aspect of our self-concept that is derived from our group memberships
• people fundamentally want to achieve and maintain a positive social identity, and distinguish our own social groups from other social groups

Question 21

who developed the minimal groups paradigm?

Answer 21

Tajfel et al, 1971

Question 22

what situations may make self-categorization/social identity more salient?

Answer 22

threats to ingroup

Question 23

what is optimal distinctiveness theory? (+who/when)

Answer 23

• people want to strike a balance between their group identities and their personal identities
• balancing uniqueness and a sense of belonging
• Brewer, 1993

Question 24

what is Hogg and Abrams’ self esteem hypothesis?

Answer 24

• self esteem is intrinsically linked to group identity
• we cannot always choose our own group membership; belonging to a marginalized group can have negative effects on one’s own self image

Question 25

what are the implications of Hogg and Abrams’ self-esteem hypothesis?

Answer 25

• basking in reflected glory is common
• derogating outgroups can increase self-esteem
• lowered self esteem increases the tendency to discriminate against outgroups

Question 26

what is relative deprivation theory?

Answer 26

extension of social identity theory: our self-esteem is tied to the belief that one is getting more/less than they deserve relative to (a) other people or groups, or (b) some other standard such as past experiences or expectations

Question 27

according to relative deprivation theory, which types of people are we most likely to compare ourselves to?

Answer 27

people who are…
1. similar
2. relevant
3. proximal

Question 28

what is distributive justice?

Answer 28

• rewards and costs are justly allocated
• equal work = equal pay

Question 29

what is procedural justice?

Answer 29

• fairness of procedures for distributing rewards and costs
• meritocracy

Question 30

what are the consequences of relative deprivation?

Answer 30

1. emotions: discontent, frustration, resentment
2. hostility toward perceived source of deprivation

Question 31

what is realistic conflict theory?

Answer 31

• intergroup prejudice and discrimination arises from conflicting coals and competition over limited resources
• eg. Robber’s Cave

Question 32

according to realistic conflict theory, what conditions can amplify intergroup conflict?

Answer 32

1. the relationship between groups is perceived as zero-sum
2. there is objective resource scarcity
3. there is perceived resource scarcity

Question 33

comparing social identity theory, relative deprivation theory, and realistic conflict theory, how do they differ in terms of how prejudice arises?

Answer 33

• SIT: prejudice from mere ingroup/outgroup assignment
• RDT: prejudice from victimized group
• RCT: prejudice from competition