Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination

Prejudice

A negative attitude towards a person based on their membership in a particular group

Stereotype

A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.

Discrimination

Unjust treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.

Institutionalized Discrimination

Discrimination that is an implicit part of the policies and practices of institutions.

Microaggressions

Subtle, often unintentional, discriminatory comments or behaviors.

Cognitive Miser

A term describing how people use shortcuts in the brain to process social information.

Implicit Prejudices

Prejudices that individuals are unaware they hold.

Implicit Association Test

A test that measures the speed of associations between people and positive or negative words to reveal implicit prejudices.

Suppressed Prejudices

Prejudices that individuals may be aware of but choose not to express.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

When a belief influences actions that cause the belief to come true.

Social Identity Threat

Anxiety and performance issues that arise when people feel ill-at-ease because of their social identity, fearing judgement based on stereotypes.

Ethnocentrism

The belief that one’s own culture, nation, or religion is superior to others.

Normative Conformity

The act of going along with the group to meet its expectations and gain acceptance.

Shooter Bias

This refers to the psychological phenomenon in which individuals are more likely to mistakenly perceive someone from a specific social or racial group, typically marginalized groups, as posing a threat and respond aggressively, often in simulated or real-life scenarios involving weapons. This bias has been studied extensively in the context of law enforcement and implicity racial bias.

Self-Affirmation

Refers to the process of reflecting on and reinforcing one’s core values, self-worth, or identity to maintain a positive self-view, particularly when faced with threats or challenges. This psychological strategy helps individuals reduce stress, defend against self-esteem threats, and enhance resilience.