Schemas, stereotypes and social categorisation

Question 1

what’s a schema

Answer 1

a mental structure that organises and collects information about something

Question 2

Define social categorisation

Answer 2

The process of assigning people to groups based on social categories

Question 3

Define stereotypes

Answer 3

The collection of trait that society associates with a particular group

Question 4

Whats the difference between prejudice and discrimination

Answer 4

Prejudice is a negative attitude held about a group, discrimination is negative behaviour towards a person because they belong to a group

Question 5

Why do we associate people with categories

Answer 5

Its informative for person perception and therefore adaptive for survival as it allows us to identify members of allied groups

Question 6

Whats the outgroup homogeneity effect

Answer 6

The tendency to view members of an outgroup as more similar than members of the ingroup

Question 7

What causes the outgroup homogeneity effect

Answer 7

We have less contact with outgroups so there are less variable exemplars so greater perceived outgroup homogeneity

Question 8

What is the kernel of truth

Answer 8

Our tendency to exaggerate differences between social groups and overextend them to all members of the group leading to the development of stereotypes. This only applies to scientific facts, not personality traits.

Question 9

Whats the stereotype content model

Answer 9

Argues that stereotype content reflects changes in society. Stereotypes are classified by warmth (linked to competition for resources) and competence (linked to the groups status). High competition = low warmth. High status = high competence

Question 10

Whats the illusory correlation

Answer 10

When we know less about a group (they’re a minority) any negative behaviour performed by that group becomes distinct and therefore we over estimate the relationship between minority group and negative behaviour. We then form a stereotype

Question 11

what is stereotype activation

Answer 11

The degree to which a stereotype is accessible in the mind

Question 12

Stereotype application

Answer 12

The actual use of activated stereotypes in judgement

Question 13

What is the dual task paradigm (Macrae et al 1994)

Answer 13

Cognitive resources are divided between two simultaneous tasks. If the main task uses less resources there’s more left for the secondary task. Participants asked to form impressions of people while listening to audio track. Group 1.) given category labels to allow pps to stereotype, group 2.) weren’t so couldn’t stereotype. If stereotyping reduces cognitive load group 1.) should be able to recall more of audio

Question 14

What is the system justification theory

Answer 14

It agues that people want to believe social systems are fair and so stereotypes rationalise inequality that exists.

Question 15

What is the ultimate attribution error

Answer 15

Where negative or stereotypic behaviour are attributed to disposition and positive or counter stereotypic behaviour are attributed to situation.

Question 16

What is the self-fufilling prophecy

Answer 16

The theory that stereotypic expectancies lead us to behave in a way that encourages stereotype-consistent behaviour in the outgroup.

Question 17

Whats stereotype threat

Answer 17

The concern experienced by a person when there is a possibility that they may act in a way consistent with negative stereotypes.

Question 18

Evidence to support stereotype threat

Answer 18

Steele and Arsonson: black participants performed worse on a test presented as a measure of their intellectual ability but performed equally when no reference was made to intellectual ability
Spencer, Steele and Quinn: Women performed worse on a test when told it reveals gender differences, they performed equally when no reference was made

Question 19

How does reframing and reappraisal reduce stereotype threat

Answer 19

Tests are presented as a challenging learning experience. Anxiety is presented as helpful to performance not harmful

Question 20

How does de-emphasis of threatened social identity reduce stereotype threat

Answer 20

Participants are given the opportunity to list negative and positive attributes of their person rather than social identity.

Question 21

How does affirmation reduce stereotype threat

Answer 21

Participants choose an important value and write why its important to them. Women perform significantly better when they self-affirm values.