Stereotypes to Prejudice Tutorial
- 1. From Stereotypes to Prejudice Module D Lesson 3Tutorial C r e a t e d b y : P r o f e s s o r H o k e r s o n A m e r i c a n R i v e r C o l l e g e L a s t U p d a t e d : F a l l 2 0 1 7
- 2. Using thisTutorial • Use the navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen. • Click on hyperlinks when prompted. • Have fun and learn!
- 3. Table of Contents (TOC) • Objectives • Module Objectives #36-38, 41, 45, 46, and 49 • Action Items • Introduction • Cognitive Processes • Prejudice • In Conclusion
- 4. Module D Objectives By the end of this tutorial you will be able to… #36– Differentiate implicit and explicit cognition, as it relates to the process of social categorization. #37 – Explain implicit personality theory as it relates to attractiveness. #38 - Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of social categorization. #41 – Describe the three components of attitudes. #45– Assess the function and accuracy of stereotypes when forming impressions of others. #46 - Discuss the effects of the in-group out-group bias, including the homogeneity effect and in-group bias. #49 - Discuss the impact of the Robbers Cave Experiment and the Jigsaw Classroom on reducing prejudice.
- 5. Action items
- 6. An Introduction • Question:What is social psychology? • For me the most important aspect of this chapter is understanding the relationship between stereotyped thinking and prejudice. “Social psychology investigates how your thoughts, feelings, and behavior are influenced by the presence of other people and by the social and physical environment” (Hockenbury and Hockenbury, 2013, p. 486
- 7. Cognitive Processes • Read: Read the section “Social Categorization” in Chapter 12, page 486. • Social categorization is an implicit (unconscious) and explicit (unconscious) cognitive process. • There are 3 social categories that are automatically (implicitly) activated when meeting somebody new…do you know what they are? The answer to this is later in this tutorial! • Tip: Social categorization is based on schemas and schemas are stereotypes. Hence the process of social categorization sets the foundation for stereotyped thinking.
- 8. Implicit PersonalityTheory • Read: Read about implicit personality theory on pages 486-487. • Think:Where do we learn about the traits and behaviors that certain people share? 1. Personal experiences 2. Culturally shared (e.g. media, parents, peers) • Reflection:These are based on social categories. Click here for a Social IdentitiesWheel, which shows some social categories that are commonly studied- which ones do you belong to? • Question: Can you think of other social categories that you belong to and the traits that people typically assign to those groups?
- 9. The Halo Effect • Read: The halo effect is a good example of implicit personality theory. • Think: What are the traits and characteristics that you think attractive people possess? • Read:The halo effect has been studied rigorously and is presented on pages 486-487. • Activity: List the characteristics that attractive people are assumed to possess (your book identifies at least 8 characteristics or traits). • Are these just assumptions or are they accurate?
- 10. Evaluating Social Categories • The Good: Social categorization might be a natural, adaptive process that allows individuals to efficiently assess a situation. • The Bad: Social categorization ignores the uniqueness of individuals. • The Bad: Social categorization can mistakenly be used to predict future behavior, inaccurately.
- 11. About Attitudes • Read: There are three components of attitudes. Read about them on page 492. • Let’s first explore the cognitive component – stereotypes!
- 12. About Stereotypes • Read: Read page 496-497 to learn more about stereotypes, including a brief discussion of their accuracy and effects on targeted groups. • Remember that there are many social categories that are often stereotyped, the most common being race, gender, and age (these are the three traits I mentioned earlier)! • Caution: Descriptive stereotypes can become prescriptive and hold people accountable to our expectations of them. Also they can result in misinterpretation of events! “A parent who assumes that a girl’s poor computer skills are due to her gender rather than a lack of instruction might never encourage her to overcome her problem (Hockenbury and Hockenbury, 2013, p. 498)
- 13. Common Stereotypes Negative Stereotypes • All blond women are dumb. • All red heads are sluts. • Christians are homophobic. • Guys are messy and unclean. • Girls are not good at sports. • All teenagers are rebels. • Men who like pink are effeminate. Positive Stereotypes • All Asians are geniuses. • All Indians are deeply spiritual. • All Latinos dance well. • All Whites are successful. • Asians have high IQs. • African Americans can dance. • Italians are good lovers Positive stereotypes can result in the preferential hiring or recruiting of certain racial groups, while limiting opportunities for others.
- 14. The Danger of Stereotypes • Note: Stereotypes are reinforced through experience and much like lifting weights, the more you use them the more “truthful” and reliable they seem to be. Hence to undue stereotyped thinking it takes a lot of unlearning! • Activity: Go back to page 284 in your book and review the following concepts: • The belief-bias effect • Confirmation bias • The fallacy of Positive Instances • The Overestimation Effect How might these cognitive biases contribute to stereotypes and prejudice?
- 15. The In-Group Out-Group Bias • Read: Read about the in-group bias and out-group homogeneity effect on pages 497-499. • Stereotyped thinking leads to these in-group out-group biases. • To understand these processes is to understand the cognitive component of prejudice!
- 16. Defining Prejudice • “Prejudice is a negative attitude toward people who belong to a specific social group” (Hockenbury and Hockenbury, 2015, p. 495) • Note: Prejudice can also be a positive attitude toward people who belong to a specific social group. For example today people are more likely to express a pro-white and pro-male bias, than an Black or anti-women attitude.
- 17. About Prejudice • “Racial groups are far more alike than they are different.” (Hockenbury and Hockenbury, 2013, p. 497) • “…any differences that may exist between members of different racial and ethnic groups are far smaller than differences among various members of the same group.” (Hockenbury and Hockenbury, 2013, p. 497) • Flashback: Review the discussion of heritability on page 303.
- 18. Understanding Prejudice • Tip: There are many theories as to the origin of prejudice. A couple of factors that correlate with prejudice are: 1. Intergroup conflict – competition for scarce resources, such as jobs, services, or water. 2. In-group threats – threat to in-group norms and values • Caveat: However there is also a growing body of evidence that emotions play a strong role in predicting not only prejudice but its behavioral manifestations – discrimination!
- 19. Emotions and Prejudice • Read: Here is an interesting article that looks at the relationship between emotions and prejudice using the Stereotype Content Model - http://www.apa.org/monitor/oct04/prejudice.aspx • Activity: Complete the table below and identify the emotions commonly felt toward different target groups and how this can help to predict behavior. Target Group Warmth Competence Emotion Behavior Homeless, poor, drug addicts High or Low High or Low Elderly, disabled High or Low High or Low Middle class, Whites, Americans High or Low High or Low Rich, Jewish, Asians High or Low High or Low
- 20. Implicit Attitudes Revisited • Read: Read about implicit attitudes and the Implicit AssociationTest, pages 499-500. • Reflection: What are your implicit attitudes? • Activity: Click the links below to learn more about the online Implicit AssociationTests . What do you think about implicit bias – is it a real thing? • Overview of Project Implicit, an online IAT • Project Implicit FAQs Remember that implicit attitudes are unconscious biases that we have learned through social conditioning! These unconscious biases will slip into consciousness and affect our attitudes and behaviors toward others!
- 21. Overcoming Prejudice • Question: How easy is it to create prejudice? • Answer:Too easy! It only takes one exposure! • Website: Did you know that blue eyed people are better students than brown eyed people? Click here to visit the PBS website and watch “A Class Divided.” • Tip: Jane Elliott demonstrated how easy it is to create in- groups and out-groups, and its effects. Just talking about prejudice isn’t enough, so how can we reduce prejudice?
- 22. Prejudice Research • Read: Read about the Robber’s Cave Experiment on pages 500 – 501. • Activity:Answer the questions below after reading about Muzafer Sherif’s classic study. 1. How did Sherif create prejudice? 2. Did contact alone reduce prejudice? 3. Why is cooperation important? 4. What are the criticisms of his study? • Read: Read about the Jigsaw Classroom on page 501. • Activity:What two factors contributed to these positive effects of the jigsaw classroom? • Increased self esteem • Greater liking of other ethnic groups • Lessoning of negative stereotypes & prejudice • Reduction in intergroup hostility
- 23. Reducing Prejudice Strategies • Here are some links with strategies that you can take away from this tutorial to reduce your own prejudices: • Question: What can you do to reduce your biases and prejudices?Which strategies will be more difficult for you to implement? • Change your perspective - http://www.apa.org/monitor/201 1/10/prejudice.aspx • Take action - http://www.beyondprejudice.co m/reduce_your.html • Reducing Prejudice Resources - http://www.understandingprejud ice.org/links/reducing.htm
- 24. In Conclusion • Social categorization sets the foundation for stereotyped thinking. • This is likely an automatic process. • Race, age, and gender are the most common social categories! • Stereotypes are the cognitive component of prejudice. • Stereotypes are likely a product of social conditioning. • The accuracy of stereotypes is questionable. • There are many origins of prejudice. • Prejudice can be implicit, or exist without conscious awareness. • Emotions are more predictive of discrimination that prejudice itself. • Prejudice is not inevitable! • Contact alone is not enough to dismantle prejudice. • Cooperation and interdependence are the keys!
- 25. Module D Objectives By the end of this tutorial you should now be able to… #36– Differentiate implicit and explicit cognition, as it relates to the process of social categorization. #37 – Explain implicit personality theory as it relates to attractiveness. #38 - Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of social categorization. #41 – Describe the three components of attitudes. #45– Assess the function and accuracy of stereotypes when forming impressions of others. #46 - Discuss the effects of the in-group out-group bias, including the homogeneity effect and in-group bias. #49 - Discuss the impact of the Robbers Cave Experiment and the Jigsaw Classroom on reducing prejudice.