WHY ARE PEOPLE PREJUDICED?
Social Psychology Handout, Dr. Lori Nelson
The origins of prejudice: Stereotyping and the fallibility of the human mind
Big picture: Cognitive processes impact social structure
What is prejudice? Assuming, with or without awareness:
Big group differences
Outgroup members are all alike.
Race/culture is THE dominant aspect of individual from minority group
My group is better than other groups.
Cognitive processes lead to social categorization and stereotyping
Biases that are “side-effects” of the basic human tendency to categorize
Outgroup homogeneity
Own race effect
Illusory correlation based on salience (one of two types)
Distinctiveness effect (can also apply to self, ingroups)
Effects on the targets of prejudice: Spotlight effect
Us and them thinking emerges when humans are divided into groups
Minimal group effect: Ingroup (“us”) is favored when humans are divided into groups
Why do we have this tendency? Ideas from two theories
Social evolution theory: Ingroup favoritism promoted survival and reproduction
Social identity theory: Ingroup favoritism is part of positive self-image and identity
Why is prejudice so pervasive? Learning prejudice with and without awareness
Big picture: Social structure impacts cognitive processes
What is prejudice?
Negative stereotypes, general negative attitude (dislike, envy, patronizing)
Sources of learning
Media, peers, teachers, parents
Blatant / conscious / explicit prejudice—effects of believing negative stereotypes, attitudes
Has declined, but still persists
Parents do not have much direct influence on conscious prejudice?
Unconscious / implicit prejudice, schemas—effects of knowing negative stereotypes, attitudes
Cultural learning produces unconscious/implicit prejudice, frequently even among:
People who reject stereotypes at a conscious level
Members of stereotyped groups
Some people are not motivated to consciously over-ride implicit prejudices
Measuring unconscious/implicit prejudice
Effects of unconscious prejudice
Effects on the targets of prejudice
Sometimes prejudice—conscious, but esp. unconscious—toward own group
Stereotype threat and underachievement
Why is prejudice resistant to change?
First attitude and first information provide basic framework (schema)
Influences subsequent perceptions
Problem if negative
Illusory correlation based on prior expectations (second of two types)
“Ultimate attribution error” perpetuates negative stereotypes of outgroups, even when meeting
counter-stereotypical members of outgroups
Attributions for negative behavior
outgroup: character of group
ingroup: character of individual, situation, exceptions
Attributions for positive behavior
outgroup: situation, exceptions, sub-typing
ingroup: character of individual or group
Attributions for behavior of negatively stereotyped group member
Attribute negative behavior (ex: crime, failure) to character of person, group
Attribute positive behavior -- exception, subtype, great effort
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Misunderstandings of cultural differences
Lead to negative attitudes, strengthen pre-existing negative attitudes
Power and privilege corrupt-- once a group gets power, it’s motivated to keep it
Believe less powerful groups are inferior, to rationalize own position
If oppressing another group, will fear that group
leads to further negative attitudes
Some members of dominant group have a desire to maintain their social dominance
Applies to those who
a) Are members of a dominant group
AND b) Desire power and status (high social dominance orientation)
Why does prejudice sometimes turn into hate?
Strong negative emotions among people who are prejudiced due to personality/emotional needs
Do some people “need” to be prejudiced?
Displaced aggression and scapegoating
Declining socio-economic status
Resentment toward successful minority groups
Attempt to repair damaged/threatened self-esteem
Authoritarian personality, ethnocentrism
Applies to more people when under threat
Dislike and fear of difference, esp. within own group, nation, etc.
Effects of anger on us-and-them thinking
Strong negative emotions resulting from a history of intergroup conflict
Competition (or perception of competition) for scarce resources
Collective memory of intergroup conflict and atrocities
Negative interdependence
Dehumanization of outgroup
Less than human
Not distinct individuals (emphasize outgroup homogeneity)