Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination Flashcards
What are stereotypes?
cognitive beliefs or associations linking a whole group of people with certain traits or characteristics
What are the consequences of stereotypes?
- can distort our perceptions and make us resistant to change
- resolve ambiguity
- self-fulfilling prophecies as expectations influence interaction and therefore changes behaviour in line with assumptions
- stigma
What is prejudice?
negative feelings towards certain people based on their group membership
What is discrimination?
behaviour directed against people based on their group membership
What is hostile sexism?
negative, resentful feelings about women
What is benevolent sexism?
chivalrous feelings that can be patronising
What is modern racism?
surfaces in subtle ways often in socially acceptable contexts
What is aversive racism?
the ambivalence between being fair and unconscious prejudices
What is microaggressions?
Everyday, typically subtle forms of discrimination
What are the effects of prejudice and discrimination?
- reluctance to help minorities improve their position in society
- tokenism
- reverse discrimination
- social stigma (self-fulfilling prophecies)
- reduced self-esteem
What are the disadvantages of prejudice and discrimination?
- Dehumanisation
- Violence and genocide, including cultural
What are innate reactions?
Human’s inherent fear of the unfamiliar
What are learned reactions?
Role of parental attitudes
what is an authoritarian personality?
Harsh parental treatment so respect for authority and displaced anger leads to prejudice or dogmatism - rigid cognitive style
what is relative deprivation theory?
Discontent from belief one fares poorly compared to others
What is the realistic conflict theory?
Hostility between groups caused by direct competition for limited resources
(Summer camp study)
What is social identity theory?
Group membership and intergroup relations focussing on social vs personal identity
What are the outcomes of social identity?
- Ethnocentrism/ingroup favouritism
- Conformity to group norms
- Stereotyping of own (ingroup) and other (outgroup) group members
What is self-categorisation theory?
Categories based on cognitive representations of groups
What is the outgroup homogeneity effect?
Assumes greater similarity among members of outgroups than ingroups
How is propaganda used to reduce prejudice and discrimination?
Messages to create norms denouncing prejudice
What is Allport’s contact hypothesis?
Contact leads to intergroup harmony but needs, prolonged cooperative activity, official sanctioning, equal social status, similarities emphasized and outgroup members seen as typical
How are communication and conciliation used to reduce prejudice and discrimination?
Bargaining, meditation, arbitration and conciliation
What is another strategy to reduce prejudice and discrimination established from the summer camp study?
Superordinate goals
