Lesson 27: Prejudice, Discrimination, and Stereotyping

Stereotype

General, superficial reasons to dislike someone based on their group

Prejudice

Negative attitude held about members of a specific social group

Discrimination

Treating people differently because of prejudice toward their social group

In groups vs out groups

Us vs them

Blatant Bias

Conscious beliefs, feelings, and behavior that people will admit about hostility toward other groups while favoring your own group

Subtle Bias

Unexamined, maybe unconscious bias that still has real consequences

People may not realize they have it, behaviors are often small and indirect, can be explained away as “normal behavior,” happens automatically.

Implicit Association Test (IAT)

Measures unconscious bias by testing reaction times when pairing groups with positive or negative words.

Realistic Conflict Theory

Prejudice and discrimination increased when groups are in conflict over limited resources (jobs, housing, school spots)

Social Identity Theory

View of self as part of in-group, so you tend to favor that group (“Us vs. them”, In-group favoritism, BYU vs U of U)

Social Comparison

Compare self to others to raise your self-esteem (Saying your team/school/country is “better” than another)

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Expectations lead to outcomes (A teacher expects a student to do poorly, gives less encouragement, and the student actually performs worse)

Social Dominance Orientation

Belief that group hierarchies are inevitable in all societies, and are a good idea to maintain order and stability

People who are high in this are more likely to want to have a career in law enforcement or the legal system (to maintain order). Prefer inequality, lower in empathy.

Concern = hierarchy and dominance

Some groups should have more power/status.

Focuses on competition over resources.

The world is seen as competitive.

Right-Wing Authoritarianism

Think society works best when people obey authority and stick to shared group values, even if that limits individuality or disagreement.

Concern = obedience and conformity

Focuses on value conflicts.

Prioritizes conformity and order.

Sees differing values as threatening.

Equal Status Contact

Put everyone in the same situation so groups do not have power over others

“Jigsaw Classroom”

Everyone in group is given a piece of puzzle and they have to work together as equals and contribute (all are heard in this case)