Transcript psy.201.stereotypes.ppt 1

Instructor “Quiz”
1. What kind of music do I like?
2. What kind of car do I drive?
3. What activities did I participate in
in high school?
4. Am I a first-, second-, or third-born
child?
5. How many people in my family have
been to college?
6.What do I like to do in my free time?
Social Cognition
Overview
Stereotypes,
prejudice, and
discrimination
What can we
do about
them?
Where do
they come
from?
Up in the Air example
Stereotypes (cognitive)
 Generalized beliefs about others
Prejudice (affective)
 Feelings or evaluations (+/-) of others
Discrimination (behavioral)
 Behaviors (+/-) directed toward others
Female
doctors are
incompetent.
Stereotype
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I don’t trust
female
doctors.
I refuse to be
treated by a
female doctor.
Prejudice Discrimination
“Only men should be president
because they are smarter than
girls.” (7-year-old girl)
What are the consequences of
stereotypes and prejudice?
Q: Where do stereotypes and
prejudice come from?
A: Social learning
Where do stereotypes and
prejudice come from?
Who’s the Methodist?
Q: Where do stereotypes and
prejudice come from?
Perceptual salience
 Minority/majority status
 Labeling (e.g., teachers)
 Segregation

What can we do about
stereotypes and prejudice?
Expect bias
 Raise awareness
 Avoid group salience, labeling etc.
 Support equal status interaction
 Be direct and talk about it!

Big problem: Schemas!

Schematic processing
 Remember Piaget
Intervention approaches
Jackie Robinson was a famous baseball player
whose career suffered because of racism
Intervention approaches: Role
models

Adult: “How do you know only white men have
been president of the United States?”

Elementary student: "Have you seen the
money?"
Intervention approaches: Role
models

Example: U.S. presidents: race & gender
U.S. president: race & gender

Most kids believe the presidency should be open to men and
women of all races and ethnicities

BUT reasons for lack of diversity are cynical and disturbing:
 “Only men should be president because they are smarter
than girls.” (7 yr. old girl)
 "White people don't like black people (10 yr. old Black
child)
 “It is against the law for a black person or a woman to be
president. “ (multiple children, 1/3 of African-American
children believed that this is still true!)
What should we do?

Some are wary of discussing delicate issues
BUT indirect paths (books, movies with
counterstereotypical examples) are not sufficient
(remember schemas!)

Direct conversations are more fruitful!
What should we do?




Talk to kids.
They are perceptive and notice racial and gender
differences!
Inequality exists and we can’t pretend that it doesn’t
e.g., If adults don't acknowledge and discuss that all the
presidents have been males, or poor neighborhoods are
mostly black and Latino, children will form their own,
probably prejudicial, explanations.