WEEK 4 - Prejudice and Intergroup conflict Flashcards
The Authoritarian Personality (TAP):
Answer:
TAP is a theory proposed by Adorno and his colleagues, suggesting that individuals with authoritarian personalities are more likely to display prejudice and support authoritarian regimes.
It explains prejudice as stemming from a rigid, hierarchical worldview, characterized by strict adherence to conventional values, submission to authority, and hostility towards those perceived as different.
TAP was measured using the F-scale (Fascism scale), which assessed respondents’ agreement or disagreement with statements reflecting authoritarian attitudes.
Causes of the authoritarian personality include childhood experiences of harsh discipline, a need for structure and order, and identification with authoritarian role models.
Weaknesses of this approach include its reliance on psychodynamic theory, its oversimplification of complex social phenomena, and its limited consideration of situational factors influencing prejudice.
Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) and Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA):
Answer:
SDO and RWA are similar to TAP but use more sophisticated methods and do not rely on psychodynamic theory.
SDO refers to the belief in the inherent superiority of one’s own group and the legitimacy of maintaining group-based hierarchies.
RWA reflects a willingness to submit to established authorities, aggressiveness towards those who defy traditional norms, and adherence to conservative values.
Both SDO and RWA predict prejudice and support for group-based dominance, contributing to intergroup conflict and societal inequality.
Frustration-Aggression Theory and Relative Deprivation
Answer:
Frustration-aggression theory posits that frustration, resulting from the blocking of goal-directed behavior, leads to aggression.
Prejudice and group conflict may arise when individuals or groups experience frustration due to perceived threats to their status, resources, or values.
Relative deprivation occurs when individuals or groups feel deprived of resources or opportunities compared to others they perceive as similar or inferior.
This sense of relative deprivation can fuel resentment, hostility, and intergroup conflict, as individuals seek to restore equity or gain parity with perceived reference groups
Weaknesses of Personality and Individual Difference Approaches:
Answer:
These approaches tend to overlook the role of broader social, economic, and historical factors in shaping intergroup attitudes and behaviours.
They may oversimplify complex social phenomena by attributing prejudice solely to individual dispositions or personality traits.
Personality traits are not fixed; they can vary across situations and contexts, limiting the predictive power of these approaches.
Personality and individual difference approaches often neglect the influence of situational factors and social norms on intergroup relations, focusing excessively on the internal characteristics of individuals
Sherif’s Summer Camp Studies:
Answer:
Sherif’s Summer Camp Studies investigated intergroup conflict and cooperation among boys at a summer camp.
The studies demonstrated how intergroup conflict emerges from competition over limited resources, supporting Realistic Conflict Theory (RCT).
Strengths include the use of naturalistic settings, longitudinal design, and rigorous experimental control.
Weaknesses include potential demand characteristics and the lack of generalizability to real-world contexts beyond the camp setting.
Negative Interdependence in RCT:
Answer:
Negative interdependence in RCT refers to situations where the goals of different groups are perceived as mutually exclusive.
This perception fosters competition, leading to hostility, discrimination, and prejudice against outgroup members.
As groups vie for scarce resources or compete for dominance, they may resort to derogatory stereotypes and discriminatory behaviors to gain advantage
Social Identity Theory (SIT):
Answer:
Social Identity Theory (SIT) proposes that individuals derive part of their self-concept from their membership in social groups.
Prejudice and discrimination arise from the need to maintain a positive social identity by favouring the ingroup and derogating the outgroup.
Ingroup favouritism and outgroup derogation serve to enhance self-esteem and maintain a sense of social belonging
Minimal Group Studies and SIT:
Answer:
Minimal group studies demonstrate that even arbitrary and minimal group categorizations can lead to ingroup favoritism and outgroup derogation.
Participants show a tendency to allocate resources in ways that favor their ingroup, even when group membership is randomly assigned.
These findings support SIT’s assertion that social categorization and group membership play a crucial role in shaping intergroup attitudes and behaviors.
Categorization, Self-Esteem, and Uncertainty Reduction
Answer:
Categorization: People categorize themselves and others into social groups, leading to ingroup bias and outgroup discrimination.
Self-esteem: Individuals seek to maintain or enhance their self-esteem by favouring their ingroup and derogating outgroups, contributing to intergroup conflict.
Uncertainty reduction: Prejudice and discrimination can arise from the need to reduce uncertainty about oneself and one’s social identity, leading to stereotyping and prejudice against outgroups perceived as different or threatening
Stereotype Biases and Prejudice:
Answer:
Stereotype biases involve generalized beliefs about the characteristics, attributes, and behaviors of members of certain social groups.
These biases can lead to prejudice by shaping attitudes and expectations towards individuals based on their group membership.
Stereotypes can perpetuate discriminatory behaviors by influencing how individuals are treated in social, economic, and institutional contexts.
Prejudice and discrimination may arise when individuals are judged or treated unfairly based on stereotypes rather than their individual characteristics or merits.
Attributions and Prejudice:
Answer:
Attributions refer to explanations or judgments about the causes of behaviors, events, or outcomes.
In the context of prejudice, attributions can influence how individuals perceive and evaluate outgroup members.
Negative attributions, such as attributing negative behaviors to stable, internal characteristics of outgroup members, can reinforce prejudice and stereotypes.
Prejudice may arise when individuals make unfair or biased attributions about the actions or intentions of outgroup members, leading to discriminatory attitudes and behaviors
Personality and Individual Differences vs. Group Psychology Approach:
Answer:
Personality and individual differences approach:
Strengths: Focuses on understanding how individual traits, attitudes, and behaviors contribute to prejudice and discrimination.
Provides insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying intergroup biases and attitudes.
Acknowledges the diversity and complexity of human behavior, recognizing the role of individual agency and variability.
Weaknesses: Tends to overlook the influence of broader social, cultural, and contextual factors on prejudice and discrimination.
May oversimplify complex social phenomena by attributing prejudice solely to individual dispositions or personality traits.
Group psychology approach:
Strengths: Emphasizes the role of social identity, group dynamics, and intergroup processes in shaping prejudice and discrimination.
Considers the impact of social norms, group membership, and situational factors on intergroup attitudes and behaviors.
Provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how social context and group dynamics influence individual behavior.
Weaknesses: May overlook the role of individual differences and personality factors in shaping prejudice and discrimination.
Generalizations about group behavior may obscure individual variability and agency within groups.
