Stereotypes, Prejudice, & Discrimination

Psych 223

Social Categorization

The natural cognitive process by which we place individuals into social groups

In-groups

Groups that we belong to

Out-groups

Groups we do not belong to

Overgenderalization

Tendency to exaggerate the differences between people from different social groups while at the same time perceiving members of groups as more similar to each other than they actually are

Outgroup Homogeneity

The tendency to view members of outgroups as more similar to each other than we see members of ingroups

Ingroup Favoritism

The tendency to respond more positively to people from our ingroups

Ultimate Attribution Error

Tendency to make trait attributions in ways that benefit their ingroups, just as they make trait attributions that benefit themselves

Self-enhancement

Any strategic behavior designed to increase self-esteem

Social Identity

The positive self-esteem that we get from our group memberships

Black Sheep Effect

The strong devaluation of ingroup members who threaten the positive image and identity of the ingroup

Collective Self-Esteem

Amount which an individual values their memberships in groups in public and private ways, as well as the extent to which they gain social identity from those groups

Authoritarianism

A personality dimension that characterizes people who prefer things to be simple than complex and who tend to hold traditional and conventional values

Social Dominance Orientation (SDO)

A personality variable that refers to the tendency to see and to accept inequality among different groups

Self-Protection

Any strategic behavior designed to avoid losing self-esteem

Stereotype

The positive or negative beliefs that we hold about the characteristics of social groups (Cognitive)

Prejudice

An unjustifiable negative attitude toward an outgroup or toward the members of that outgroup (Affective)

Discrimination

Unjustified negative behaviors toward members of outgroups based on their group membership (Behavioral)

Microaggressions

Commonly occurring, brief, verbal or nonverbal. behavioral and environmental indignities that communicate derogatory attitudes or notions toward a different “other”

Contact Hypothesis

The idea that intergroup contact will reduce prejudice

Common Ingroup Identity

The attempt to reduce prejudice by creating a superordinate categorization