stereotypes

Question 1

what is a stereotype?

Answer 1

an oversimplified and generally fixed perception about a group of people

Question 2

what is prejudice?

Answer 2

judgements and attitudes about individuals with little information about them

Question 3

what is discrimination?

Answer 3

behaviors based on stereotyping and prejudice

Question 4

why do we develop stereotypes?

Answer 4

schemas and system 1 thinking
1. social identity theory (in-group)
2. self-categorization theory (wanting to belong - adopting the in-group stereotype)
3. social cognitive theory (observation and imitation of role models)
4. illusory correlations (tendency to see a relationship between unrelated variables)

Question 5

what are the effects of stereotypes?

Answer 5

1. stereotype threat: risk of confirming a negative stereotype about one’s group (spotlight anxiety + fear of failure- undermined performance)
2. Stereotype promise: Positive stereotypes may improve an individual’s performance on certain tasks

Question 6

STUDY ON STEREOTYPES negative

Answer 6

Steele and Aronson 1995
aim: to see how stereotype threat affects test performance in African Americans
- 114 Stanford students b&w
- diagnostic vs non-diagnostic conditions
- in the diagnostic conditions black students performed worse, while white students performed equally regardless of their condition
- being aware of stereotype threat leads to spotlight anxiety and worse performances.

Question 7

STUDY ON STEREOTYPES postive

Answer 7

Lee and Zhou 2015
aim: to investigate stereotypes related to Asian-Americans and academic achievements
- 4800 interviews first gen
- Asians: pushed to advanced classes and selective colleges - expectation led to high achievement
- Mexicans: stereotype threat - not taken seriously not directed to advanced classes nor selective colleges.
- perception influences behavior