Bias, Prejudice, and Discrimination

#Social Psychology: Bias, Prejudice, and Discrimination 🧠

#Introduction to Bias

We all have biases, which are tendencies to favor one way of thinking over another. These aren't inherently bad; they help us make quick decisions and form heuristics. Think of it like choosing your favorite ice cream flavor 🍨—you have a bias based on past experiences.

#Bias vs. Stereotypes

While biases are like a colored lens, stereotypes are fixed models of thinking that classify people into specific categories. For example, "all Asians are smart 💯" is a stereotype. Stereotypes, though not always negative, can be harmful.

#Examples of Harmful Stereotypes

• 👓 Men are more intelligent
• 🚗 Women cannot drive
• 💸 Women are in poverty and are uneducated more
• 👦🏽 Sons are more valued than daughters

These examples highlight how stereotypes can perpetuate harmful beliefs about gender and other social categories.

Image Courtesy of MetroFamily Magazine.

#Ingroups and Outgroups

Our social identity is defined by the groups we associate with. Ingroups are the groups we belong to, while outgroups are any other groups.

#Ingroup and Outgroup Bias

Ingroup bias is our tendency to favor our own group over outgroups. We tend to see more individual differences within our ingroup and perceive outgroups as all the same (outgroup homogeneity bias). For example, the cross-race effect: we are better at recognizing faces of our own race. Think about the East Coast vs. West Coast debate—people tend to favor their own coast.

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#Prejudice

Ingroup bias can lead to prejudices, which are unjustifiable and negative attitudes toward a group. Prejudices involve stereotyped beliefs, negative feelings, and discrimination. They are often implicit, meaning people aren't always aware of them. This includes implicit racial associations, patronization, and bodily responses.

Important Note: Prejudice is a thought or feeling, while discrimination is an action. Understanding this distinction is crucial for the exam.

#Social Roots of Prejudice

Ethnocentrism is the belief that one's own culture is superior to others. The just-world phenomenon is the tendency to believe that people get what they deserve, which can lead to victim-blaming.

#Emotional Roots of Prejudice

Scapegoat theory suggests that we blame our anger on specific groups, often exacerbating prejudice. For example, after 9/11, there was a spike in prejudice against Muslims.

#Cognitive Roots of Prejudice

Confirmation bias and the availability heuristic lead us to remember and associate vivid cases that confirm our stereotypes. Hindsight bias can result in victim-blaming.

#Discrimination

Discrimination is an action that treats people differently and can cause harm. It's crucial to prevent prejudices from leading to discriminatory actions.

#Reducing Prejudice

The mere-exposure effect states that increased exposure to something or someone makes us like them more. This can help reduce prejudice by promoting diverse representation in media and society.

#Final Exam Focus

• Key Concepts: Bias, stereotypes, ingroup/outgroup bias, prejudice, discrimination, ethnocentrism, just-world phenomenon, scapegoat theory, confirmation bias, availability heuristic, hindsight bias, mere-exposure effect.
• Common Question Types:
  • Multiple-choice questions testing your understanding of definitions and differences between concepts.
  • FRQs asking you to apply these concepts to real-world scenarios.
• Time Management: Quickly identify the core concepts in the question. Use examples to illustrate your points in FRQs.
• Common Pitfalls: Confusing prejudice (attitude) with discrimination (action). Overgeneralizing concepts without providing specific examples.
• Strategies: Practice identifying the biases and prejudices in different scenarios. Use mnemonics and real-world examples to remember the concepts.

#Practice Questions

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. A tendency to favor one's own group is called: (a) outgroup bias (b) ingroup bias (c) ethnocentrism (d) scapegoating

2. The belief that the world is just and people get what they deserve is known as: (a) scapegoat theory (b) confirmation bias (c) just-world phenomenon (d) availability heuristic

3. Which of the following is an example of discrimination? (a) Holding a negative attitude towards a certain group. (b) Believing that one's own culture is superior to others. (c) Refusing to hire someone based on their race. (d) Favoring your own group over others.

Free Response Question:

Explain how the concepts of ingroup bias, ethnocentrism, and scapegoat theory can contribute to prejudice and discrimination. Provide specific examples to illustrate each concept.

Scoring Breakdown:

• Ingroup Bias (2 points):
  • Definition of ingroup bias (1 point): Tendency to favor one's own group.
  • Example of ingroup bias (1 point): e.g., favoring your own school in a sports competition.
• Ethnocentrism (2 points):
  • Definition of ethnocentrism (1 point): Belief that one's culture is superior.
  • Example of ethnocentrism (1 point): e.g., judging other cultures based on your own cultural norms.
• Scapegoat Theory (2 points):
  • Definition of scapegoat theory (1 point): Blaming a group for one's own problems.
  • Example of scapegoat theory (1 point): e.g., blaming immigrants for economic problems.
• Connection to Prejudice and Discrimination (2 points):
  • Explanation of how these concepts lead to prejudice (1 point): These concepts create negative attitudes and stereotypes.
  • Explanation of how these concepts lead to discrimination (1 point): These attitudes lead to discriminatory actions.

Let's ace this exam! You've got this! 💪