Transcript Slide 1

Stereotypes and
Prejudice
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Outline
 Overview of stereotypes
 Formation of stereotypes
 Impact of stereotypes on behavior
 Decreasing the negative impact of
stereotypes
 Stereotype Threat
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Stereotype
 Stereotype: Widely held beliefs about
traits that are characteristic of members
of a particular group
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Schemata
Beliefs may be positive or negative
 Prejudice: Feeling directed toward
group of people or individual person
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Attitude
Stereotypes
 Schema: Simplified reconstructions of
perceptions of classes of people,
objects, events, or situations
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Facilitate effective organization and
processing of large amounts of information
Associate new information with preexisting schemata then remember most
prominent features
Schematic processing occurs rapidly and
automatically
Schemata
Cohen, 1981
.
0.9
Percentage Recall
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
Consistent
Inconsistent
Information
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Schemata
 Other research evidence:
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Making a hypothesis of blurred picture
reduced ability to identify the picture as
came into focus (Wyatt & Campbell, 1951)
Verbal description of face impairs ability to
choose face from many (Schooler &
Engstler-Schooler, 1990)
 Conclusion: Effort at attention disrupts
the influence of weak cues that might
have guided judgment
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Prejudice
 Prejudice can be expressed through:
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Antilocution: Talking in negative
stereotypes and images
Avoidance
Discrimination: Behaviors with specific
goal of harming another
 Prevent
from achieving goals, getting
education or job
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Physical Attack
Extermination
Two blondes went to the pound where each adopted a puppy. The joy of
their new best friend was quickly overshadowed when they got home and
the first blonde said, "I think we're in trouble, how are we going to tell them
apart?"
This lead to several hours of concentration until finally, the second blonde
said, "I've got an idea. We'll tie a red bow around my puppy and a blue bow
around yours."
The next day the first blonde comes running up to the second when she got
home, "Oh no, I can't tell whose puppy is whose. They've pulled the ribbons
off while they were playing."
"OK, we need to find a better way to tell them apart," says the second
blonde. After several more hours of concentration, they came up with the
bright idea of getting different colored collars.
Again, the next day, the first blonde comes running up to the second as
soon as she gets home, "Oh no, I can't tell whose puppy is whose. They've
pulled their collars off while they were playing."
"There's got to be some way to tell them apart," says the second blonde.
After several more hours of concentration, the first blonde finally comes up
with another idea, "I know! Why don't you take the black one and I'll take
the white one!"
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Negative Stereotypes
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Igbo Nigerians
Non-Igbo
Nigerians
419-er
5
5%
50
5%
Not 419-er
95
95%
950
95%
Social Categorization
 Social Categorization: Classification of
people into groups on the basis of
common attributes
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Use schemata to quickly form impressions
and use past experiences to guide new
interactions
Disadvantages
 Overestimate
differences between groups
 Underestimate differences within groups
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Social Categorization
 In-Group: People perceived as similar to ourselves
 Out-Group: Others who do not fit into the in-group
 In-Group Bias: Preferential treatment given to people
perceived as a member of one’s group
 Out-Group Homogeneity Bias: Tendency to assume
that members of groups other than own are all alike
 Attribution Error: If an out-group member does
something bad, attribute it to characteristics of the outgroup
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
If an in-group member behaves similarly, attribute to the
specific person’s characteristics
Social Categorization
 Outgroup-Homogeneity Bias
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Least
Generous
Estimate how many group members share
stereotyped characteristic
 Estimates higher for out-groups than in-groups
Estimate range of differences within population,
 Range narrower with out-group individuals
Rate group individuals for how alike they are
 Out-group members rated as more similar than ingroup
Most
Generous
Social Categorization
 Out-Group Homogeneity Bias
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Rarely notice differences among outgroups because have little personal
contact
Rarely encounter a representative sample
of out-group members
Social Categorization
 Vicious Circle (Myrdal, 1994)
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Prejudice demands minorities to be
separate
Being separate strengthens out-group
stereotypes
Groups become more separate
Stereotypes
 More likely to form an impression based
on stereotypes when:
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Busy or distracted
Pressed for time
Mentally tired
 Less likely to use stereotypes when alert
and motivated to form an accurate
impression
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Self-Fulfilling Stereotypes
 Self-Fulfilling Stereotypes:
Stereotypes can lead us to interact with
people in ways that cause them to fulfill
our expectations
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Stereotypes become self-perpetuating
and self-fulfilling
Discrimination
 Racism: Prejudicial attitudes and
discriminatory behavior toward people of
a given race

Institutional practices that subordinate
people of a given race
 Sexism: Prejudicial attitudes and
discriminatory behavior toward people of
a given sex

Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Institutional practices that subordinate
people of a given sex
Sex Discrimination
 Blatant Sex Discrimination: Unequal
and harmful treatment of person based
on their sex
 Subtle Sex Discrimination: Unequal
and harmful treatment that is less visible
and obvious
 Covert sex discrimination: Unequal
and harmful treatment that is hidden,
purposeful, maliciously motivated
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Strategies for Reducing the
Effects of Discrimination
 Blinding: Denies decision maker information about
potentially biasing information
 Consciousness Raising: Encourages decision maker to
have heightened awareness of cues that could elicit
discrimination
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Attention reduces weak automatic influences on
judgment
 Affirmative Action: Attribute leading to discrimination
has positive qualification for decision
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Previous discrimination in education keeps people from
succeeding
May be viewed as compensation for past, present, and
potential future implicit discrimination
Preventing Stereotypes
 Contact Hypothesis: Contact with members of
the out-group reduces stereotypes
 Four necessary conditions (Allport, 1954)
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Equal status of participants
Pursuing common goals
Work cooperatively
Authorities sanction contact
 Additional Conditions
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Generates positive affect
Opportunity to learn about out-group members
Preventing Stereotypes
 Jigsaw Classroom: Cooperative learning
strategy for classroom use
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Divide classroom into groups of 5 to 6 people
 Diverse by gender, ability, and race
Developed to promote cooperation between
members of conflicting ethnic groups
Research has demonstrated that jigsaw can:
 Decrease racial conflict
 Decrease prejudice and stereotyping
Preventing Stereotypes
 Jigsaw Steps:
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Appoint a group leader
Divide the lesson into one segment for each
member
Each member learns their segment of the lesson
Students learning the same information meet to
discuss main points and rehearse presentation
Students present their segment to their group
Quiz the entire class on all components of the
lesson
Stereotype Threat
 Stereotype Threat: Apprehensiveness about
confirming a stereotype
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Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
When minorities are in situation when stereotype
applies, bear emotional and cognitive burden of
possibly confirming stereotype
Fear to confirm negative stereotype may induce
test anxiety and undermine test performance
Not necessary to believe stereotype, only that
person is aware of the stereotype and cares about
performing well enough to disprove
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12
Average Items Correct
Impact of Stereotype Threat on Test Performance
10
8
African American
White
6
4
2
0
Stereotype Threat
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
No Stereotype Threat
Revision
 What is a stereotype?
 What is in-group bias and out-group
homogeneity?
 How can stereotypes be self-fulfilling?
 How can prejudice and discrimination be
reduced in education?
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos