S2W1Prej

Question 1

Prejudice

Answer 1

A negative attitude towards members of a group, which is often strongly held.

Question 2

The Implicit Association Test

Answer 2

Greenwald et al., 1998

A measure of implicit or unconscious prejudice

Relies on interference between evaluations of words and evaluations of people.

Response times longer if mismatch: prejudice against black people take longer on black/pleasant

Results show that implicit prejudice is higher than explicit.

Question 3

Criticisms of Implicit Association Test

Answer 3

Low test-retest reliability (.40) - unsuitable for individual diagnosis

Inconsistent predictor of real-world discrimination

Interventions to reduce implicit bias don’t tend to affect real-world outcomes

Poorly conducted meta-analyses

Attitudes confounded with stereotype familiarity

Question 4

ABC model of prejudice

Answer 4

Affect (prejudical feelings)
Behaviour (discrimination)
Cognition (stereotypes)

Question 5

Scapegoat Theory

Answer 5

Emotional source: frustration

Lash out against members of a weak group to deal with own frustrations.

E.g. gay bashing

Question 6

Realistic Group Conflict Theory

Answer 6

Emotional source: perceived competition.

Dislike members of a group who are thought to be competing for scarce resources.

E.g. isliking immigrants because they might take jobs.

Question 7

Social Identity Theory

Answer 7

Emotional source: self-enhancement.

Negative impressions of outgroup to make own group seem superior.

E.g. laughing at minority religious groups to make own religion superior.

Question 8

Discrimination

Answer 8

Behavioural component of prejudice.

Negative, harmful behaviour toward people based on their group membership.

Question 9

Robbers Cave Experiment - Differentiation Phase

Answer 9

2 groups (no previous interaction).

Activities with common goals.

Rules and leadership emerge spontaneously.

Group formation

Question 10

Robbers Cave Competition Phase

Answer 10

4 days of competitions

Rewards for winner

Question 11

Robbers Cave Intergration Phase

Answer 11

2 days cooling off period

Contact and listing features of both groups (failed).

Common goals and forced cooperation (successful).

Question 12

Implications of Robbers Cave

Answer 12

Supports Realistic group conflict theory (RGCT)

Prejudice is a phenomenon of groups, not individuals.

Prejudiced attitudes emerge from the context in which intergroup behaviour occurs.

Groups will compete rather than cooperate.

Competition > negative attitudes.

Cooperation > prejudice reduction.

Question 13

Stereotyping

Answer 13

Cognitive component of prejudice.

A set of characteristics that a perceiver associates with members of a group

Question 14

Stereotype Content Model

Answer 14

Fiske et al., 2002

Characterises stereotypes across dimensions: warmth and competence.

Group seen as warm if they are not in competition with the ingroup for resources.

Group is seen as competent if they are generally high-status.

Question 15

Stereotype Content Model Examples

Answer 15

High warmth and competence = liked, admired, ingroup.

High warmth low competence = pitied, liked, unrespected.

Low warmth high competence = envied/resented.

Low competence and warmth = hated, worthless.

Question 16

Origins & results of stereotyping

Answer 16

Competition with one’s own group:

Competitive groups stereotyped as cold.

Relative social status:

Low-status groups stereotyped as incompetent

Question 17

Cottrell and Neuberg (2005) - Sociofunctional approach

Answer 17

Explanation of stereotypes and prejudice.

Different emotions and threat responses towards different social groups.

Threats to health vs/ threats to propety.

Specific threats linked to specific emotions.

Question 18

Behaviours from stereotypes

Answer 18

Passive harm: ignore, neglect, exclude.

Active harm: attack, fight, harass.

Passive facilitation: associate, cooperate, unite.

Active facilitation : assist, help, protect.

Stereotypes influence behaviour:

Competence elicits passive facilitation

Warmth elicits active facilitation

Question 19

Contact hypothesis

Answer 19

No contact > Lack of informed judgement > Stereotypes > Prejudice and Discrimination > Conflict.

Exposure to an outgroup will produce more favourable attitudes.

Question 20

Conditions under which contact hypothesis works

Answer 20

Positive/neutral interactions.

Equal status among group members.

Cooperation/common goals.

Social and institutional support.

Informal but personal contact (acquaintance potential).

Counter-stereotypical behaviour by outgroup.

Outgroup member seen as typical of their group.

Question 21

How does contact work

Answer 21

Provides information (dispels stereotypes)

Learning what emotional/affective responses are common around other groups.

Decreases anxiety (facilitates future interaction)

Change norms about appropriateness of prejudice.

Question 22

Dixon et al., 2005 - criticism of contact hypothesis

Answer 22

Too many optimal conditions - real-world situations aren’t optimal.

Ignores important societal factors and personal evaluations regarding how contact takes place.

Works from a primarily American perspective

Question 23

Imagined contact (Crisp)

Answer 23

Imagine positive interactions with an outgroup member.

Shows positive effect on explicit and implicit attitudes.

Increases intention to engage in positive intergroup behaviour (no research beyond intention).

Question 24

Intergroup anxiety

Answer 24

Groups provoke anxiety when thought to be a threat:

Physical
Cultural
Competitive
Social

Or when someone expects a negative interaction.

Many interventions work by decreasing this anxiety.

Question 25

Effects of intergroup anxiety

Answer 25

Poor performance on cooperative tasks.

Increased discrimination/stereotyping.

Negative evaluations of the other.

Long-term decrease in anxiety from repeated contact.

Question 26

Functional view of prejudice

Answer 26

Can be a performance – a way s to express allegiance to a group.

Can be used to motivate social action.

Mobilising hatred and violence against an outgroup.

Accusation and denial of prejudice.

Repression of prejudice in conversations.