Transcript Prejudice - Blogs@UWW

Prejudice

What is the difference between:



Race?
Ethnicity?
Minority Group?
2

Race


Different characteristics are physical, innate,
and biologically inherited
Classifications are socially defined
3

Ethnic Group

Different characteristics are cultural

Language, food, values, religion, art, music, etc.
4

Minority Group




Disadvantaged: Members excluded from full
participation in society
Held in low esteem: Socially isolated
Membership is involuntary, ascribed
Self-conscious: See themselves as set apart
5
A Sociological View of
Intergroup Relations

Amalgamation

Melting pot; new cultural/genetic blend
6
A Sociological View of
Intergroup Relations

Assimilation

Racial and ethnic minorities absorbed into
the culture; differences disappear
7
A Sociological View of
Intergroup Relations

Pluralism

Racial and ethnic groups maintain distinct
identity; participate jointly in politics and
economy
8
A Sociological View of
Intergroup Relations

Exploitation

Racial and ethnic differences used to
rationalize exploitation
9
A Sociological View of
Intergroup Relations

Ethnic Conflict

Ethnocentrism combined with struggle for
resources
10
We categorize others

In-Group




Social group to which a person belongs (“us”)
We care about others’ welfare, cooperate with
We feel we are alike
Out-Group



Social group to which a person does not belong
(“them”)
We don’t care about group members’ welfare
We feel we are very different
11
Categorization

Assimilation


Differences within a category are minimized
Contrast

Differences between categories are
exaggerated
12
Prejudice


Positive or negative attitude towards
individuals based on their membership in
a particular social group
Prejudgment
13
Prejudice is an Attitude

Affect

Emotions
14
Prejudice is an Attitude


Affect
Behavioral Tendencies


Inclination to act according to prejudice
Discrimination: Positive or negative
behavior directed toward the persons or
groups who are targets of prejudice
15
Institutional Discrimination


Systematic discrimination against a group
of people (includes racism, sexism)
Not necessarily the result of prejudice!
16
Institutional Discrimination




Children of alumni receive preference for
admission into some private colleges.
Employees of a particular university are allowed
free tuition, as are their spouses.
A public hearing is held on the third floor of
building without elevators.
A fire department requires that applicants for the
position of firefighter be 5'8" or taller.
17
Prejudice is an Attitude



Affect
Behavioral Tendencies
Cognition


Thoughts and beliefs
Stereotypes: A cognitive framework that
generalizes certain characteristics to all
members of a specific social group
18
Stereotypes

Often work as mental shortcuts



Implicit stereotyping can ‘prime’ relevant
behavior and attitudes (Bargh, Chen, & Burrows, 1996)
Media stereotypes: Cumulative effect over
time
Stereotype threat:

Anxiety that behavior might confirm a
negative stereotype; hampers performance
19
Racial Prejudice


Overt racial prejudice and discrimination
are have declined significantly in the last
60 years
Subtle prejudice: Non-obvious, arises
when it’s ‘safe’ to express
20
Racial Prejudice


Study: Applying stereotyping and
prejudice to an ambiguous behavior
Participants observe a videotape of a man
lightly shoving another man during
conversation
White man
Black man
13%
Black man
White man
73%
21
Gender Prejudice



Stereotypes of men and women
Overt gender bias has been declining
Subtle gender bias still exists
22
Where does prejudice come from?



Social Sources
Emotional Sources
Cognitive Sources
23
Social Sources of Prejudice

Social inequalities


Self-fulfilling prophecy
Study 1:
 Do Whites treat African Americans and
Whites differently?
 Participants interviewed a confederate for
a job
Confederate: African American or White
24
Social Sources of Prejudice

Social inequalities


Self-fulfilling prophecy
Results: Study 1
 Interview length: AA < W
 Distance: AA > W
 Eye contact: AA < W
 Speech dysfluencies: AA > W
25
Social Sources of Prejudice

Social inequalities


Self-fulfilling prophecy
Study 2
 Does differential treatment influence
behavior?
 Confederates interviewed participant for
job
 Treated participant like African Americans
or Whites were treated in Study 1
26
Social Sources of Prejudice

Social inequalities


Self-fulfilling prophecy
Results Study 2:
 Participants treated like African Americans
performed worse than participants treated
like Whites
27
Social Sources of Prejudice


Social inequalities
In-Group Bias


Viewing our in-group positively helps us feel
good about ourselves
Natural tendency to view out-group
negatively
28
Social Sources of Prejudice



Social inequalities
In-Group Bias
Institutional Supports


Reflect a culture’s assumptions
Reinforce culture’s attitudes and stereotypes
29
Emotional Sources of Prejudice

Realistic Group Conflict Theory




Frustration brings out hostility
When cause of frustration is vague, hostility
can be redirected
Competing for resources brings out
frustration and hostility
Scapegoating: Group blamed for problems
30
Emotional Sources of Prejudice
31
Emotional Sources of Prejudice


Realistic Group Conflict Theory
Authoritarian Personality Theory

Authoritarian submission


Authoritarian aggression


A high degree of submission to authorities who are
perceived to be established and legitimate
A general aggressiveness, directed against various persons,
that is perceived to be sanctioned by established authorities.
Conventionalism

A high degree of adherence to the social conventions that
are perceived to be endorsed by society and its established
authorities.
32
Cognitive Sources of Prejudice

Categorization

In-Groups and Out-Groups


The Minimal Group Paradigm
Out-Group Homogeneity Effect

Members of an out-group perceived as similar
33
Cognitive Sources of Prejudice


Categorization
Distinctiveness

Distinctive occurrences, vivid examples are
easily remembered
34
Cognitive Sources of Prejudice



Categorization
Distinctiveness
Attribution


Fundamental Attribution Error and
Group-Serving Bias
Just-World Phenomenon
35
Sherif’s Robbers Cave Study
36
Can prejudice be reduced?

Contact Hypothesis


Cooperative contact


What kind of intergroup contact would
increase prejudice? Decrease prejudice?
Jigsaw classroom
Formal education


Selective perception
Diversity training
37