Unit 3: Stop the Stigma

made by Ms. Winterfeldt

attitude

a predisposition to feel, think, and act a certain way in relation to certain things

social attitude

widespread predisposition within a group to feel, think, and act a certain way in relation to certain things

behavior

a wide range of processes turning internal and external inputs into outputs

stigmatization

a behavior turning a human characteristic into a mark of disgrace

biased representation

portrays people in ways that align with a stereotype

biased language

uses a label as an insult due to its implicit connotations (e.g., negative social attitude and associated stereotypes)

cognition

a type of behavior. It encompasses a wide range of mental processes turning inputs (e.g., internal or external stimuli) into outputs (e.g., actions).

evolutionary psychology

a field of psychology explaining how contemporary behaviors might have been inherited from our early ancestors

exclusion

encompasses a wide continuum of behaviors through which stigmas are enacted and perpetrated, from singling people out to murdering entire populations

fight/flight instinct

According to evolutionary psychology, this is an automatic, often unconscious behavior inherited from our early ancestors. It was adaptive and increased their chances of survival by responding swiftly and efficiently to perceived threats.

fundamental need

biological drives that must be satisfied to maintain life

deficiency needs (basic needs that decrease as they are being satisfied)

Survival, Safety, Belonging, Esteem

growth needs (higher-level needs that increase as they are being satisfied)

-Self-actualization (including understanding, beauty, and realizing one's full potential)

-Transcendence (serving the greater good and finding ultimate meaning and purpose)

ingroup/outgroup bias

Interpreting things differently when they are labeled as being about "us" versus "them", and in way that favors "us".

internalization

encompasses a wide continuum of behaviors through which perceived stigmas affect the behavior of their victims

labeling

using a particular characteristic as a label to categorize and define certain people

mismatch

According to evolutionary psychology, while the behaviors inherited from our early ancestors were once adaptive, i.e., helped solve survival problems in our early environment, they can be inadapted to our contemporary, global and complex world.

othering

means using a label to make and accentuate a distinction between "us" and "them"

psychology

seeks to understand human behavior in order to help improve people's lives, both individually and collectively

social influence

encompasses a wide variety of ways in which families, peers, media, and institutions shape people's cognition and behavior, often unconsciously

stereotyping

making associations between human characteristics (e.g., nationality and character) that are automatic (and thus often unconscious and resistance to change), reductive, and widely shared

stigma

a human characteristic (e.g., race, mental health status, socio-economic status...) turned into a mark of disgrace by a negative social attitude

unconscious

Factors influencing our cognition and behavior, as well as our cognition and behavior themselves, can happen without us being aware of them

vicious cycle

a process that reproduces and reinforces itself over time because its ultimate effects lead back to its initial causes