Understanding Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

stereotype

A belief that certain traits or behaviors are associated with members of a group.

prejudice

A negative emotional response or attitude toward a group or its members.

discrimination

Unfair treatment or behavior directed toward individuals based on group membership.

modern (or implicit) prejudice

Subtle, hidden bias that exists even when people reject explicit prejudice (e.g., avoiding eye contact with someone from another race).

benevolent prejudice

Seemingly positive stereotypes that still limit people (e.g., "Women are nurturing" = women shouldn't lead).

Implicit Association Test (IAT)

A test that measures unconscious attitudes by comparing reaction times between different word-image pairings.

Realistic Group Conflict Theory

A theory that explains prejudice due to competition over resources.

Robbers Cave study

A study where boys at a summer camp formed hostile groups when competing, but cooperation for shared goals reduced prejudice.

Social Identity Theory

The idea that people boost self-esteem by favoring their ingroup and devaluing outgroups.

Minimal Group Paradigm

A concept that shows even when group membership is random or meaningless, people still show favoritism toward their group.

illusory correlation

Believing there's a connection between two things (like a group and a negative behavior) when there isn't—often based on distinctive or rare events.

outgroup homogeneity effect

The belief that members of other groups are more similar to each other than your own group is.

stereotype threat

The fear of confirming a stereotype about your group, which can lower performance (e.g., women in math, Black students in testing).

attributional ambiguity

Uncertainty about whether you're treated a certain way because of your group or something personal.

reducing prejudice

Cooperation on shared goals with equal status and community support (not just contact alone).