Prejudice

• What is prejudice ?

  A preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or experience
• What is social identity theory ?

  When prejudice arises from two groups without any other factor being present. 'social categorisation' is the ingroup to which we see ourselves belonging and the outgroup is anyone that is not in the ingroup. 'Social identification' involves the individual adopting their beliefs and values of the groups to which they see themselves belonging. Then 'social comparison' follows, which an individual may boost their self esteem by making comparisons between ingroup and outgroup. This process can lead to group favoritism, prejudice, and stereotyping as people naturally favor those who belong to their own group.
• Supporting evidence for social identity theory :

  Tajfel minimal groups experiment 1970, 15 year old.boys separated into different groups then allocated points to other boys in exchange for cash. More points were allocated to ingroup members than outgroup. Showing that social categorisation is suffiecnt enough to trigger ingroup favouritism and discrimination.
• Conflicting evidence for social identity theory:

  wetherell 1982 carried out a replication study of Tajfel's in New Zealand. Found that indigenous Polynesian children were significantly more generous in their allocation of points than the white new Zealand classmates. Suggest that SIT may be ethnocentric as it fails to predict the behaviour of people from more collectivist backgrounds.
• What is realistic conflict theory ?

  suggest that the key to prejudice is competition. Two or more groups striving for the same goal prejudice and hostility will intensify. 'negative interdependence' occurs when it is important for two groups to both reach same goal, but only one can reach it. Produces a 'conflict of interests' where groups will act to obstruct others achievement. This is highlighted even further with 'limited resources' such as food. can be reduced through a supderordinate goals-only can be achieved through intergroup cooperation.
• What supports realistic conflict theory ?

  Sherif robbers cave study 1954- boys experienced negative interdependence when only one group could reach the prizes in the tourdament resulting in escelated violence. Conflict reduced when the boys were given a superordinate goal.
• Conflicting evidence for realistic conflict theory :

  Tajfels minimal groups experiment 1970- showed that prejudice can arise from a simple act of perceiving someone as 'not like me'. Boys treated those differently on the basis of group information alone suggesting that their own knowledge may be more influential of prejudice.
• The big five personality traits:

  • Openness
  • Agreeableness
  • conscientiousness
  • extraversion
  • neuroticism
• Personality traits and Prejudice:

  There is a negative correlation between openness and agreeableness and prejudice ,which means that a low score in openess and a low score in agreeableness correlates with a high likelihood of prejudicial attitudes. Therefore those who are open are less likely to be prejudiced.
• What did Cohrs find out about conscientiousness and prejudice ?

  Conscientiousness has a positive correlation with prejudice, suggest that it is not the personality traits themselves but the certain personality characteristics form the basis of ideological attitudes
• Authoritarianism

  • the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience at the expense of personal freedom- a lack of concern for the wishes and opinions of others
  • authoritarian personality is a type characterised by extreme obedience
  • In its extreme form, can give rise to fascism
• Social dominance orientation

  • the belief that social hierarchy is required
  • more likely to be prejudiced towards low status groups, want their own group to be dominant
• Cohrs findings surrounding RWA and SDO- prejudice

  • positive correlation between RWA 0.48 and SDO 0.28
  • negative correlation between RWA and openness and SDO and agreeableness

  AO3- does not show causation
• What are individualistic cultures?

  Individuals rights take centre stage and independence is highly valued meaning individuals tend to rely on themselves

  For example the uk
• What are collectivist cultures ?

  Social rules focus on promoting selflessness and putting the community needs ahead of individual ones, by working as a group where communities have a central role.

  For example India
• What is a weakness of personality explaining prejudice ?

  It ignores the role of social norms and situational factors. Louis notes that RWA and SDO scales do not include items which are heavily affected by social attitudes or norms, meaning the role of these factors is ignored in the research

  As seen in their Australian research where majority disagreed with one prejudicial statement but not the other
• Social norms (culture) effecting prejudice :

  Akrami 2009 found that social norms about sexism manipulated and affected expression of prejudicial values- personality variables also had an influence, specifically RWA and SDO which questions accuracy of situation as a factor involved in prejudice