PSYC2017 RACIAL PREJUDICE

What is a stereotype?

A widely shared and simplified evaluative image of a social group and its members.

Define prejudice.

An antipathy based on a faulty and inflexible generalization, directed toward a group or an individual because they are a member of that group.

What is discrimination?

Any negative behavior directed toward an individual based on their membership in a group.

What does Devine's Disassociation model suggest about high and low prejudice individuals?

Both hold similar negative stereotypes, but low prejudice individuals consciously inhibit their negative responses, while high prejudice individuals do not.

What is the difference between blatant and subtle forms of racial prejudice?

Blatant prejudice is based on strong negative emotions and overtly expressed, while subtle prejudice is based on an absence of positive feelings and is expressed covertly.

What characterizes aversive racism?

It involves biases from politically liberal individuals who consciously endorse egalitarian views but have unconscious negative feelings expressed subtly.

According to McConahay's Modern Racism theory, how has societal change affected expressions of racism?

Politically conservative white majorities are less comfortable expressing racism directly and instead advocate policies that disadvantage racial minorities.

Why is it important to study both blatant and subtle forms of prejudice?

Research shows only moderate correlations between the two, indicating they are distinct forms of prejudice with unique variance.

What is the Implicit Association Test (IAT)?

A test used to measure automatic, subconscious associations and implicit biases.

What is the main claim of the Greenwald camp regarding implicit prejudice?

They claim that the attitude is implicit and that people are unaware of their prejudice.

What is the counterclaim from Olson & Fazio regarding implicit measures?

They argue that people may be aware of their attitudes, and the IAT's millisecond format makes responses hard to control.

What is a limitation of explicit measures like the Modern Racism Scale?

Participants may respond in socially desirable ways, leading to biased results.

What is the Cultural Issues Scale?

A scale developed to assess perceptions of racial prejudice using seriousness ratings rather than agree/disagree responses.

What is a key feature of implicit measures?

They aim to prevent controlled responding by working at the millisecond level.

What does the term 'socially desirable responding' refer to?

The tendency of participants to answer in a way that they believe will be viewed favorably by others.

What is the purpose of sentence completion tasks in measuring stereotypes?

To assess automatic associations by having participants complete sentences about stereotyped characters.

What is the significance of the reverse-coded item in the Modern Racism Scale?

It helps identify participants who may be answering with bias by consistently selecting extreme responses.

What are the three dimensions of measuring racial prejudice according to the lecturer's diagram?

1. Blatant/traditional vs. subtle/modern, 2. Automatic vs. controlled, 3. Implicit vs. explicit.

What does the term 'blatant racism' refer to?

Overtly expressed norm-breaking views against ethnic minority groups.

What is the role of implicit measures in prejudice research?

To capture subconscious biases that may not be accessible through self-report measures.

How do implicit measures differ from explicit measures?

Implicit measures assess subconscious attitudes, while explicit measures rely on self-reported beliefs and attitudes.

What is the criticism against the IAT?

It has been divisive among researchers, with some arguing it lacks reliability and validity.

What is the significance of the Likert scale in explicit measures?

It allows participants to express their level of agreement with statements about racial attitudes.

What is the main focus of the MODE model in measuring prejudice?

To ensure that theory underpins measurement, integrating both implicit and explicit aspects.

What is the difference between automatic and controlled responses in the context of prejudice?

Automatic responses are subconscious and immediate, while controlled responses involve conscious thought and deliberation.

What does the term 'subtle racism' imply?

Covert expressions of socially acceptable anti-minority views.

What is the purpose of using observational studies in measuring racial prejudice?

To assess real-world behaviors and interactions related to racial attitudes.

What does faster reaction time indicate in implicit association tests?

A stronger association.

What was the result of pairing positive words with black targets?

Participants were slower to respond, indicating a reluctance to be positive.

What physiological measure is used to assess affective responses to faces?

Eye-blink response.

What does reduced blink indicate in response to in-group faces?

Positive affective responses.

What is the shooter bias paradigm?

A task where participants decide to shoot or not shoot based on whether targets hold a gun or a non-threatening object.

What was the typical result of the shooter bias study with US participants?

Faster to shoot armed black targets and faster to not shoot unarmed white targets.

What is a key consideration for stimuli in bias studies?

They must be culturally appropriate.

What does the Implicit Association Test (IAT) measure?

The strength of automatic associations between concepts, such as race and positive/negative words.

What does a larger positive IAT D score indicate?

A greater preference for white individuals.

What criticism did Fazio & Olson have regarding the IAT?

They argued that it shouldn't assume non-conscious processes.

What is the MODE model in the context of prejudice measurement?

A dual-process model that emphasizes motivation and opportunity as determinants of behavior.

How does motivation affect explicit measures of prejudice?

It influences the conscious processing required for explicit measures.

What does high motivation and opportunity to control prejudice imply for implicit measures?

They are less affected by motivation and opportunity due to their rapid nature.

What is a common context that affects the correlation between implicit and explicit measures?

High political correctness.

What does fMRI research show about brain activity related to prejudice?

Amygdala activity is linked to automatic evaluations, while the frontal lobe regulates conscious control.

Why is it important to measure implicit biases?

People may hold implicit biases but inhibit them, making it crucial to understand their existence.

What are some conceptual problems with implicit measures?

Questions about what exactly is being measured and the reliability of the results.

What are the take-home points regarding prejudice measurement?

Prejudice is hard to measure, implicit measures have problems, and critical evaluation of measures is necessary.

What does the term 'faking good' mean in the context of prejudice measurement?

When individuals present themselves in a more favorable light than is accurate.

What is the significance of the IAT's findings among African American participants?

About 40% show a pro-white bias, indicating learned societal associations rather than inherent prejudice.

What is the role of theory in developing measures for prejudice?

Theory must guide measure development and validation to ensure confidence in prejudice reduction efforts.

What is the implication of poor behavioral prediction in IAT results?

It suggests that the IAT may not accurately reflect real-world behaviors.

What is the main critique of the IAT regarding its development?

It was developed without an underlying theoretical framework.

What is the relationship between implicit and explicit measures in a politically correct climate?

The MODE model suggests there may not be a correlation due to inhibition of implicit biases.

What does the term 'dissociation model' refer to?

A theory suggesting that everyone has automatic negative stereotypes, but the ability to inhibit them varies.

What is the significance of the blink response in the context of prejudice studies?

It provides a physiological measure of affective responses to different racial groups.

What is social desirable responding?

Answering to appear non-prejudiced.

Define implicit measure.

A measure where responses are hard to control, such as millisecond reaction times.

What are compatible and incompatible trials in the IAT?

IAT pairings that match or conflict with expected associations.

What does the IAT D score represent?

The difference between incompatible and compatible mean latency.

What is priming in psychology?

The brief presentation of a stimulus that activates an automatic association.

What does face validity refer to?

How obvious it is what a measure assesses.

What is reverse coding?

Items scored in the opposite direction to catch careless responding.

What does the MODE model stand for?

Motivation and Opportunity as moderators of the implicit-explicit relationship.

What historical event involved the Stolen Generations in Australia?

The forced removal of Indigenous children from their families.

What was the White Australia Policy?

A policy from the 1940s-50s that restricted immigration to white Europeans.

What percentage of respondents thought the number of Asians settling in Australia was excessive according to a National Multicultural Council poll?

88%.

What significant event occurred in 2007 involving white Australians and Middle Eastern Australians?

The Cronulla riots.

What is a key finding regarding Indigenous Australians and systemic racism?

Intergenerational trauma, health inequalities, and over-incarceration are prevalent.

What did the research by Pedersen & Walker reveal about modern racism?

Modern (subtle) racism was more prevalent than traditional (blatant) racism.

What did the survey by Nesdale and colleagues find regarding international Asian students?

73% of over 2000 students experienced prejudice and discrimination.

What is the main idea behind the theories of the causes of prejudice?

Prejudice comes in waves with shifting targets and requires ongoing measurement.

What do evolutionary approaches suggest about prejudice?

Prejudice and discrimination are rooted in competition for shared resources.

According to Social Identity Theory, what contributes to self-esteem?

Self-esteem is partly derived from group membership.

What is a limitation of Social Identity Theory?

It does not explain why low-status groups derogate high-status groups less.

What correlation did Dhont & Hodson find regarding cognitive ability?

Lower cognitive ability is associated with higher prejudice through right-wing ideologies.

What is a caveat regarding the findings of cognitive ability and prejudice?

The relationship is correlational and not experimentally manipulated.

What does the critique of evolutionary approaches highlight?

They are hard to test empirically and lack nuance.

What does the term 'asymmetry' refer to in the context of prejudice?

The differing levels of prejudice exhibited by high-status versus low-status groups.

What was the outcome of the 2023 Voice referendum in Australia?

Under 40% voted yes, indicating a significant change in public discourse.

What positive development occurred in response to One Nation's rise?

Thousands of school students protested against One Nation.

What federal commitment was made in 2022 regarding anti-racism?

$7.5 million for a National Anti-Racism Framework.

What does the term 'modern racism' refer to?

Subtle forms of racism that are less overt than traditional racism.

What is the main finding of Allport's research on children of authoritarian parents?

Children of authoritarian parents are more likely to develop prejudiced attitudes.

According to Bandura, how do children learn attitudes?

Children learn higher-order attitudes through observational learning and vicarious reinforcement from parents and peers.

At what age did Aboud (1993) find that prejudice can be present in children?

Prejudice can be present in children as young as 5 years old.

What did later research find about racial bias preferences in children?

Racial bias preferences can be observed from about 2.5 years of age and tend to decline around ages 8-9.

What correlation did Rohan & Zanna find between adult sons and their parents' racial beliefs?

They found a strong correlation (r = .54) between adult sons' and their parents' racial beliefs.

What are the three moderators of the parent-adolescent correlation in prejudice?

Cohesion, adaptability, and communication.

What was the finding regarding mother-adolescent correlations in subtle racial prejudice?

These correlations were positive for families with low to moderate cohesion, adaptability, and communication, but not for high levels.

What is a possible explanation for the findings on family dynamics and prejudice?

When mothers allow independence, trust and respect are built, which may influence prejudice.

What is the impact of open communication on prejudice when parents have low prejudice?

Open communication is beneficial as children are likely to listen and adopt low-prejudice attitudes.

What might be the effect of closed communication if parents are highly prejudiced?

Closed communication might prevent children from internalizing their parents' prejudiced attitudes.

What does Allport's contact hypothesis state about intergroup contact?

A lack of positive intergroup contact leads to avoidance, which fosters stereotypes and negative portrayals.

What are the optimal conditions for intergroup contact according to Allport?

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

What did the Pettigrew & Tropp meta-analysis reveal about direct contact and out-group prejudice?

It found a mean correlation of about −0.21, indicating that as contact increases, prejudice decreases.

What personality traits are associated with higher prejudice according to Adorno et al.?

Authoritarian personality, right-wing authoritarianism, closed-mindedness, dogmatism, social dominance orientation, and conservatism.

What is Adorno's psychodynamic account of the authoritarian personality?

It suggests that fear of and dependency on parents, coupled with hatred and suspicion of them, is displaced as hostility toward minority groups.

What should researchers measure and control for in prejudice reduction studies?

They should measure and control for personality correlates like right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation.

What is a key takeaway regarding theories of prejudice?

No single theory explains prejudice completely; multiple causes contribute and should be targeted in reduction strategies.

What is suggested for researchers focusing on prejudice reduction?

Focus on one or two factors and operationalize them in their designs.

What reflection task is suggested for students over the break?

Consider which causes and correlates of prejudice are the strongest for their own prejudices and why.

What are implicit measures in the context of racial bias?

Implicit measures assess automatic expressions of bias, such as stereotypes and prejudices, that occur without conscious awareness.