13.1 Defining Prejudice

Defining Prejudice

  • Definition: Prejudice is a powerful attitude characterized by emotional intensity, made up of three main components:

    • Cognitive Component: Involves beliefs and thoughts (cognitions) associated with the attitude.

    • Affective Component: Represents emotions related to the attitude (e.g., anger, warmth) and their intensity (from mild unease to significant hostility).

    • Behavioral Component: Relates to actions taken based on the attitude.

  • Characteristics of Prejudice:

    • A negative attitude towards distinguishable groups based on group membership.

    • Primed individuals behave coolly or with hostility toward group members, generalizing negative traits to the entire group.

    • All individuals are potential victims of prejudice due to group membership (e.g., ethnicity, age, gender).

    • Prejudice flows in both directions between minority groups and dominant groups.

Progress in Addressing Prejudice

  • Historical Context:

    • Decline in the belief of group inferiority over time.

    • The changing visibility of diverse professions (e.g., female doctors, gay marriage).

  • Evidence of Ongoing Prejudice:

    • Hate groups have significantly increased in the U.S. since the early 2000s.

    • Anti-Muslim hate groups increased by 197% from 2015 to 2017.

  • Demographics and Prejudice:

    • Changes in demographics prompt fear in some groups, leading to increased prejudice (e.g., fear of losing freedom).

    • Example: White Americans linking decreased anti-Black bias with increased anti-White bias due to perceptions of diversity.

The Cognitive Component: Stereotypes

  • Nature of Stereotyping:

    • Humans categorize people based on characteristics almost from birth.

    • Stereotypes can lead to cognitive shortcuts that are necessary but oversimplify groups.

  • Social Processing:

    • Categories are influenced by cultural perceptions; stereotypical attributes become more accessible in social context.

    • Stereotypes often lead to biased information recall, focusing on stereotype-consistent information.

Implications of Stereotypes

  • Consequences:

    • Stereotypes can limit individual identities by generalizing qualities across entire groups.

    • Example: Occupation stereotypes influencing career aspirations (e.g., roles designated as "male" or "female").

  • Accuracy of Stereotypes:

    • Some stereotypes might have a kernel of truth but often fail to reflect the diversity within groups.

    • Caution against basing predictions solely on group differences rather than similarities.

Positive Stereotypes: Harmful Effects

  • Impact of Positive Stereotyping:

    • Even seemingly positive stereotypes can create unrealistic expectations and diminish individuality.

    • Example: The stereotype of Asian Americans as a "model minority" overlooks cultural differences and individual variability.

Emotional Component of Prejudice

  • Resistance to Change:

    • Emotions strongly influence prejudiced attitudes, making logical arguments ineffective.

    • Example: Dialogue illustrating how emotions distort logical reasoning in prejudiced beliefs.

  • Stereotype Influence:

    • Stereotypes contribute to emotional reactions towards different groups (e.g., admiration, contempt).

Behavioral Component: Discrimination

  • Definition of Discrimination:

    • Unjust treatment based on group membership, manifesting overtly or subtly.

  • Consequences of Discrimination:

    • Case study example demonstrating the trivialization of serious health issues due to weight bias.

Institutional Discrimination

  • Employment Practices:

    • Studies show gender discrimination even in identical applications based solely on gendered names.

    • Whitened résumés illustrate how individuals alter their identity to combat discrimination.

  • Legal System:

    • Racial disparities in drug-related arrests highlight systemic discrimination.

Everyday Discrimination and Microaggressions

  • Definition:

    • Microaggressions as everyday insults faced by minority groups.

    • Examples of subtle discrimination affecting interactions and opportunities.

From Prejudice to Deadly Discrimination

  • Case Study of Police Shooting:

    • The tragic instance of Philando Castile highlights racial prejudice influencing police behavior and decision-making.

  • Research Findings:

    • Studies indicate a 'shooter bias' among individuals, showing increased likelihood to misperceive threats based on race.

Conclusion

  • Prejudice and Discrimination Connection:

    • Prejudices are often easily activated, leading to harmful and discriminatory behaviors toward out-groups.

    • Emotions play a crucial role in sustaining prejudiced beliefs and discriminatory actions.