What are personality explanations of prejudice?
Prejudice can be explained by personality traits such as the authoritarian personality, characterised by rigid thinking and obedience to authority.
What is Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA)?
RWA refers to beliefs emphasising authority, conformity, and traditional values, which are linked to prejudice
What is Social Dominance Orientation (SDO)?
SDO is a belief in group hierarchies, where some groups should dominate others.
What does the Dual Process Model (Duckitt et al., 2002) propose about how prejudice arises?
The dual process model (Duckitt et al., 2002) proposes that prejudice arises through two pathways: a dangerous worldview leading to right-wing authoritarianism (fear-based prejudice) and a competitive worldview leading to social dominance orientation (hierarchy-based prejudice).
What is Realistic Conflict Theory? Sherif et al 1949
It proposes that competition over scarce resources leads to intergroup conflict and prejudice.
What did Sherif’s Robbers Cave study show?
Competition (e.g., tug-of-war) increased hostility
Cooperation alone did not reduce conflict
Superordinate goals reduced conflict
Sherif’s Robbers Cave study showed that intergroup competition over resources leads to prejudice and conflict, while superordinate goals requiring cooperation can reduce hostility between groups.
What is a limitation of Realistic Conflict Theory?
- Conflict can arise irrespective of the type of goals
- Even if there is no competition
- Even if there is cooperation
What is Social Identity Theory?
SIT (Tajfel & Turner) states that people derive identity from group memberships and seek a positive social identity. Self esteem is tied to social identity.
- Ingroup bias: Positive (vs. negative behaviours) are more likely to be attributed tothe groups we belong to (vs. do not belong to)
- Extreme form of ingroup bias –ethnocentrism
Belonging to a group has a protective function.
What is the difference between social and personal identity?
Social identity: self defined by group membership
Personal identity: self defined by individual traits
What is the minimal group paradigm? Taijfel and Turner
Even arbitrary group assignments (e.g., Klee vs Kandinsky) lead to ingroup favouritism, despite no real differences
How is self-esteem linked to SIT?
People are motivated to maintain positive self-esteem, which is tied to their group’s status.
What is Self-Categorisation Theory? Turner et al 1987
Self-Categorisation Theory (Turner et al., 1987) explains that people cognitively classify themselves and others into social groups based on context, leading them to adopt the group’s identity, norms, and behaviours, with group membership becoming more salient when it best fits the situation (comparative and normative fit), thereby shaping perception, attitudes, and intergroup behaviour. Identities are derived through a cognitive process of self categorisation.
What are prototypes?
Ideal representations of a group that guide how members think and behave. These accentuate similarities and differences between the groups.
What determines which identity becomes salient (Self categorisation theory)
Identity salience depends on context, comparative fit (how well group differences stand out), normative fit (how well they match expectations), and individual readiness (the person’s tendency to use certain categories).
What are the five components of group identification? Leach et al 2008
Argues that group identification is psychological connection between an individual and the group. It has 5 dimensions:
- Individual self-stereotyping – how similar we are to the ‘prototype’
- In-group homogeneity – is our group diverse vs. homogeneous
- Solidarity – are we ready to help other members of our group
- Satisfaction – are we happy with our group
- Centrality – how central/important is this group to our own identity
Also argues that stereotypes are not fixed and they change depending on the context of comparison.
Group identification (Leach et al., 2008) refers to the psychological connection to a group, including seeing oneself as similar to the group, perceiving group unity, feeling solidarity and pride, and viewing the group as central to one’s identity.
What functions do stereotypes serve?
Stereotypes can have a social function: they explain the world, differentiate us from them bit they also legitimise past or future actions.
What is de-individuation?
Early explanations emphasise the idea that in crowds people ‘lose’ their identity, do not monitor their behaviour and can therefore act impulsively
What is the reappropriation of stigmatising labels by Galinskt et al 2013? (Reduce group identification)
Reappropriation refers to the process by which disadvantaged groups reclaim negative labels and redefine them in a positive way, thereby reducing stigma and enhancing group identity.
Collective action- Van Zomeren et al 2008- Reduce group identification
Collective action refers to group-based efforts to challenge and change social inequalities, driven by shared identity, perceived injustice, and beliefs in group efficacy.
What is privilege according to Kendall 2006?
Privilege refers to unearned advantages given to certain groups based on social status. Group privilege is unearned benefits awarded to powerful social groups.
Challenges ideas of meritocracy and group equality
What is intersectionality?
The idea that multiple social identities (e.g., race, gender) interact to shape privilege and disadvantage.
How does group dominance link to privilege? Pratto et al 2008
The characteristics of the dominant group are perceived as normal and are less likely to be questioned. Members of dominant groups are more likely to believe that group dominance is a natural thing and these beliefs are related to group promotion.
How can propaganda and education improve intergroup relations?
They can change norms and beliefs. Formal education promotes tolerance (Stephan et al 2014)
What did Paluck (2009) find in relation to propaganda and education?
Intervention to improve intergroup relations in Rwanda using a radioshow (Paluck, 2009).
radio interventions:
Did NOT increase tolerance
BUT increased willingness to challenge norms and accept responsibility
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Lecture 9- Groupthink16
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Lecture 8- Dehumanisation24
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Lecture 7- Unconscious Bias and Stereotype Threat23
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Lecture 6- Intergroup helping17
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Lecture 5 : Social Change25
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Lecture 4- Intergroup relations30
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Lecture 3- Prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination26
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Lecture 2- Attitudes24
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Lecture 1- Values and Morality28
