Exam 2, Lec 5: Prejudice 2 Lecture Slides for Canvas

Prejudice and Stereotyping

Definitions

  • Prejudice: An unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.

  • Stereotyping: An oversimplified idea or image applied to a category of people; can lead to misconceptions.

Types of Prejudice

  • Individual: Prejudice against a single person based on characteristics.

  • Group: Prejudice against a group of individuals based on race, gender, etc.

Sources of Prejudice

  • Socialization: Learned attitudes from family, culture, and society.

  • Media: Representation (or lack thereof) can create and perpetuate stereotypes.

  • Fear of the unknown: Lack of exposure to groups different from oneself.

Consequences of Prejudice and Stereotyping

  • Impact on mental health: Stress and anxiety from societal expectations.

  • Academic achievement: Stereotype threat affecting performance in educational settings.

  • Social segmentation: Divisions between different groups leading to conflict, loss of collaboration.

How to Reduce/Avoid/Mitigate

  • Promote positive interactions between groups (Contact Hypothesis).

  • Emphasize individual identity rather than group identity.

  • Implement training and awareness programs to address biases.

Stereotypes and Performance

Effect of Stereotypes on Tasks

  • Being negatively stereotyped can impair performance: Anxiety and self-doubt may arise when one feels they are being judged based on a stereotype.

Stereotype Threat and Academic Achievement

Definition

  • Stereotype Threat: Fear of confirming negative stereotypes about one's group, leading to decreases in performance.

Impact on Academic Achievement

  • Creates a divide wherein individuals may dismiss their relevance in an academic domain, thus lowering their self-esteem and identity.

Steele & Aronson (1995) Study

Participants

  • Stanford students of African-American and European-American descent.

Methodology

  • Made racial stereotypes salient by using diagnostic vs. non-diagnostic tests to examine performance differences in challenging verbal tasks.

Results

  • Notable performance disparities were observed when stereotypes were activated.

Stereotype Vulnerability in Women’s Math Performance

  • Research shows that stereotype threats can negatively impact women in domains like mathematics, particularly due to societal biases.

Diversity of Stereotype Threats

  • Affects any group with strong negative stereotypes.

  • Individuals need not believe in the stereotype for it to influence performance.

Mechanisms of Stereotype Threat

How does it undermine performance?

  • Stress can impair cognitive function and brain activity.

  • Worrying disrupts focused attention and increases errors.

  • Energy spent on suppressing thoughts can degrade working memory.

Positive Stereotypes

  • Positive stereotypes can also enhance performance, showing the duality of stereotype impacts.

Stereotypes and Multiple Identities

  • Individuals possess multiple identities (e.g., gender, ethnicity) that can interact with stereotypes in context.

Shih, Pittinsky, & Ambady (1999) Study

Experiment Details

  • IV: Reminded participants of their Asian identity or woman identity to examine changes in math performance.

  • DV: Performance in math tests varying based on identity activation.

Findings

  • Performance fluctuated depending on which identity was emphasized beforehand.

Stereotype Threat Reduction Strategies

Potential Solutions

  • Deemphasizing the stereotyped identity prior to tasks.

  • Reframing the task as non-diagnostic to lessen pressure.

  • Reinforcing self-affirmation and belongingness.

The Contact Hypothesis

Core Idea

  • Interaction between different group members can reduce prejudice under certain conditions.

Conditions for Success

  • Equal status between groups.

  • A shared goal that necessitates cooperation.

Robbers Cave Study (Sherif et al., 1961)

Overview

  • Created hostility between two equal-status groups through competition.

  • Attempted to reduce conflict through cooperative tasks but saw initial resistance.

Outcomes

  • Gradual decline in hostility occurred through shared challenges; long histories of animosity can complicate outcomes.

Evidence that Contact Works

Research Findings

  • Field studies show reduced prejudice in environments with intergroup interactions and friendships.

  • Meta-analysis confirmed effectiveness across various studies and highlighted necessary factors for success.

Challenges

  • Biases can lead to misinterpretation of behavior even in positive contact scenarios.

Overcoming "The Prejudice Habit"

  • Addressing unconscious biases requires intentional efforts and effective interventions.

Questions to Consider

Reflection Points

  • Awareness of unconscious bias: What self-reflective practices or training can help?

  • Strategies to mitigate biases during decision-making processes, such as hiring.