Topic 07.5: Stereotypes, Discrimination, & Prejudice Flashcards
Who coined the term Model Minority Myth?
sociologist William Petersen in 1966
What are “Model Minorities”? (characteristics)
Individuals who are:
- high achieving and hard working
- universally successful / multi-talented
- morally just, value prosocial norms
- quiet, well-behaved, disinterested in political activity
- > Because they are members of a group (typically Asian or Pacific Islander)
What are Model Minorities meant to serve as?
Meant to serve as reference group for other minorities on “ideal” behavior
What’s so bad about model minority myth? It’s “good” things?
- “Bamboo ceiling” problem
- Many teachers and counselors assume that Asian students don’t need counseling or extra help with studying &
- Associated with various mental health issues in Asian Americans
- College admissions in US now hold Asian Americans to higher standards than other students
What is the “Bamboo cieling” problem?
- Asians not invited to board meetings unless socially submissive
- Asked to leave when they are loud, abrasive, dominant
What mental health issues occur in Asian Americans because of this myth?
- Holding self to unrealistic standards
- Identity becomes tied to career & academic successes
- potentially leads to anxiety & mood disorders
- further compounded by problem that Asian Americans are 3x less likely to seek mental health services
How do college admissions in US hold Asian Americans to higher standards than other students?
- Assess based on “stereotypical skills”
- Check whether they are “multi-talented”
- counter-intuitively: when they do fit the stereotype their efforts are discounted
The history behind the myth?
For most US history, stereotypes of Asians (especially Chinese & Japanese) were particularly negative
e.g. “Yellow Peril” / “Yellow Terror”
e.g.2 During WWII, Japanese Americans & immigrants were sent to “internment” camps
But…..
In 1965 US lifted “Asian quota” on immigration
new quotas asked for people who are educated, bring value to society
e.g. doctors, engineers, college professors
As soon as they immigrated were categorized as “Model Minorities”
Created second-generation Asian-Americans with high socioeconomic status
How is this stereotype complicated?
Stereotypes started being employed as a social weapon to contrast Asian immigrants against immigrants of other nations (especially African)
Even though socioeconomic differences explained by historical immigration policies
Ex. median household income: Asian 69k, white 57k, black 33 or graduation rate: Asian 88%, white 86%, black 69%
How can “good” stereotypes be harmful?
Disparagement is still widely prevalent in the US even today
Also used often to deny racism or white supremacy claims
The problem gets “worse” when we realize…
Stereotypes exported outside of US because of US hegemony over media (TV shows & movies) (dissemination through social media to other countries)
-> Social Learning Theory
How do we use these stereotypes in automatic processing?
If people’s only exposure to “Asian” people are stereotypical portrayals of Asians, their schemas (prototypes) will be similar
Schemas are activated during heuristic processing, the representative heuristics uses prototypes that we already have in our minds.
-> automatic categorizations, intentions, values
NOTE: Not only “Model Minority” exported, also new, different harmful stereotypes that get exported: (CLICK FOR EXAMPLES)
“Yelling/Neurotic Old Man” “Tranquil but Deadly Martial Artist” “De-Sexualized Asian Man” “Asian Doll” / “Docile Lambs” “Dragon Lady” or “Scheming Temptress” -> we start to accept these stereotypes whether subconsciously or consciously.
What are stereotypes?
-> Cognitive phenomena
Beliefs, attitudes; schemas of people and groups (prototypes)
e.g. believing that _______ are less smart than average
e.g.2 thinking someone is a criminal because they are from ________
What is prejudice?
Affective phenomenon
Emotions, feelings towards & evaluations of other group members
e.g. feeling afraid when a __________ enters elevator with you
e.g.2 being too disgusted to shake hands with a ________
e.g.3 fetishes of specific races
What is discrimination?
Behavioral phenomenon
Advantaging or disadvantaging someone because of their group
e.g. paying someone less for being ______
e.g.2 refused to enter pool/restaurant for being ______
What is the difference between stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination?
All are related but different elements of intergroup conflict
Differ in construct and as a result: differ in measurement, effects, and mechanisms
Stereotypes: categorizing VS. Prejudice: evaluation VS. Discrimination: actual behavior
What is prejudice measured with?
The feeling thermometer
ex. how warm or cold a person appears (how comfortable are you with them around)
What is a type of discrimination measurement?
Allocation Task
What theoretical models are used in prejudice research (Intergroup Conflict History Research)
- Realistic Group Conflict Theory
- Allport’s Contact Hypothesis
- Social Identity Theory
- Self-Categorization Theory: Social-Cognitive Processes
Diposition-based:
- Adorno: Authoritatian Personality (F-Scale)
- > Dollard: Frustration-Aggression Hypothsis
What are the main points of the REALISTIC GROUP CONFLICT THEORY?
- forming ingroup identity
- competition over resources
- physical & symbolic threat
What are the main points of the ALLPORT’S CONTACT HYPOTHESIS?
- unequal status
- competition
- conflicting goals
- systematic laws/policies that promote inequality
What are the main points of the SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY?
- mere categorization
- ingroup favoritism
- outgroup derogation
What are the main points of the SELF-CATEGORIZATION THEORY: SOCIAL COGNITIVE PROCESSES?
- categorization
- prototypes & schemata
- self-stereotyping & collective esteem
What are the contemporary disposition-based (personality) approaches to prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination?
