Prejudice: Causes, Effects, and Reduction Strategies in Social Psychology

What is prejudice?

A hostile or negative attitude toward a group based on their membership in that group.

What are the three key components of prejudice?

Cognitive (stereotypes), affective (emotions), and behavioral (discrimination).

What are stereotypes?

Simplified generalizations about groups that ignore individual variation.

Can positive stereotypes be harmful?

Yes, they can restrict individuality and perpetuate discrimination.

What is discrimination?

Unjust actions or behaviors toward individuals based on group membership.

What is a self-fulfilling prophecy in the context of prejudice?

Expectations about a group influence behavior toward individuals, causing them to conform to those expectations.

What is social identity threat?

Awareness of negative stereotypes about one's group that impairs performance and cognitive resources.

What is normative conformity?

Adjusting behavior to conform to group expectations to avoid rejection.

What does social identity theory explain?

How people derive part of their identity from group membership, leading to in-group bias and out-group homogeneity.

What is ethnocentrism?

The belief in the superiority of one's own group.

What is realistic conflict theory?

The theory that competition for scarce resources leads to intergroup conflict and prejudice.

What is the Bogus Pipeline?

A fake lie detector that reveals more honest (often prejudiced) attitudes than self-report.

What does the Implicit Association Test (IAT) measure?

It measures reaction times pairing social groups with positive/negative words to uncover implicit biases.

What is the Contact Hypothesis?

The idea that positive, cooperative interaction with out-group members can reduce prejudice under specific conditions.

What are the conditions for the Contact Hypothesis to be effective?

Equal status, common goals, cooperation, and support from authorities.

What is the impact of integrated housing projects on prejudice?

They have been shown to improve attitudes toward out-group members.

What did the study by Word, Zanna, & Cooper (1974) demonstrate?

Interviewers' biased behavior caused Black applicants to behave nervously, illustrating the self-fulfilling prophecy.

What did Steele & Aronson (1995) find regarding Black students and social identity threat?

Black students performed worse on tests when reminded of their race, demonstrating stereotype threat.

What is the significance of the study by Correll et al. (2002)?

It showed implicit racial bias in threat perception, as participants were more likely to shoot unarmed Black targets.

What does the term 'implicit bias' refer to?

Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect understanding, actions, and decisions.

What is the effect of diverse friendships on college campuses?

They increase belonging and reduce negative stereotypes.

What is the role of self-affirmation in reducing prejudice?

It can mitigate negative effects of social identity threat and improve performance.

What is out-group homogeneity?

The perception that members of other groups are more similar to each other than they really are.

What is in-group bias?

Favoring members of one's own group over others.

What does the meta-analysis by Pettigrew & Tropp (2006) conclude?

Contact reduces prejudice when the necessary conditions are met.

What is the dissociation model of prejudice?

People can have stereotypes pop into their minds automatically, but they don't always act on them.

What is Subtyping?

Keeping the stereotype and explaining away people who don't fit it