PSY 330 Exam 4 Study Guide W12
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Van Dijk’s description of ideology
o Socially shared and individually held
Findings of McClosky (1964) regarding political beliefs of the American public
What was suggested by Sniderman and Tetlock (1986)?
Major criticism of defining ideology solely as political beliefs
Interpretation of the fall of Nazism and Stalinism after WWII as an indication of the “end of
ideology” suggest what description of ideology?
What is suggested by Gaskell and Fraser (1990)?
What occurs as children grow older regarding their beliefs about equality and hierarchies?
It has been suggested that the fundamental attribution error reflects what ideology in western
culture?
What is Marx’s concept of false consciousness?
o Major criticism of this concept?
What is the most problematic aspect of social dominance orientation
In the opinion of Foucault, how is power distributed in a social hierarchy?
How do Jost and Banaji (1994) define system-justification
In social identity theory, when is outgroup bias most likely to occur?
o How are members of high-status groups motivated to think about their status?
What do Spears et al. suggest regarding the constraints of social reality on high- and low-status
groups?
What is hegemony?
What is considered to be the most important factor influencing how a specific world-view
becomes dominant?
Gramsci vs. Marx
o What is the difference between how each theorist believes an ideology becomes
dominant?
According to Stuart Hall (1986), why has liberalism managed to maintain its hegemonic status?
Are there different opinions regarding what ideology actually is?
For Marx, is there one “true” reality?
Is individualism considered to be an ideology?
Jost and Banaji (1994) suggest that stereotypes serve an important ideological function, which
is…?
What is problematic about the “kernel of truth” hypothesis?
Are social representations and ideology the same thing?
In order for a system-justifying ideology to work, the system-supporting ideology of dominant
groups must be…?
According to social identity theory, what is the core dimension of intergroup relations?
According to Spears et al. (2002), should outgroup bias always be interpreted as internalization of
negative stereotypes of one’s own ingroup?
Did Gramsci himself just the term ideology to refer to a hegemonic outlook?
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Essay Question (10 pts): In our discussions of ideology, we have talked about multiple
conceptualizations of ideology, how ideology can serve to support a social hierarchy, broad,
overarching ideologies, and ideologies held by individual groups. Select and describe an ideology
that exists in American society. You may discuss any concept/notion/belief you believe to be an
ideology; it may be an ideology of a specific group or a broader more abstract concept. You may
select an ideology discussed in class or think of a new concept not discussed in class lecture.
Your essay should include:
o 1) a description of the ideology (2pts)
o 2) why is this an ideology? (3pts)
o 3) what type/form of social hierarchy does this ideology relate to? (2pts)
o 4) does this ideology serve to support or undermine the hierarchy, how (3pts)?