stereotypes

define formation of stereotypes

natural process of social categorisation: can be either indirect (product of our culture or society) or direct (what we experienced)

define illusory correlation

seeing a connection between two variables that isnt really there

two studies

harris and fiske

hilliard and liben

key points harris and fiske

• role of prefrontal cortex and amygdala in reacting to extreme out group (homeless or addicts)

• ½ saw images of people ½ saw images of objects

• pride, envy, disgust and pity used to rate images

• fMRI used - measures 02 flow to brain - non invasive

• shown pictures of ppl with disabilities, rich businessmen, older ppl, olympic athletes and the homeless

• clear difference in brain activity when shown homeless

• insula activated (usually in response to non human objects like trash)

• medial prefrontal cortex not activated - usually activated when we see other people

key points hilliard and liben

• social categorization salience may play role in development of stereotypes

• 1. each child completed a gender attitude test (shown activities or jobs and asked whether boy or girl or both)

• randomly allocated to either high salience (very aware teachers used gendered language) or low salience (no change as teachers were already instructed to refrain from gendered language as a policy)

• after two weeks they take the gender attitude test again

• high salience group showed increased gender stereotypes and decreased play with other sex