Wright & Taylor

Question 1

What is the difference between stereotypes and prejudice?

Answer 1

Stereotypes are cognitive beliefs about group traits; prejudice is the emotional evaluation of those traits.

Question 2

What does “entitativity” refer to in group perception?

Answer 2

The extent to which a group is seen as a coherent, unified whole with shared goals.

Minority groups seen as more entitative than majority groups

Question 3

What is the “justification function” of stereotypes?

Answer 3

refers to how stereotypes help explain and legitimize the social position of different groups. Negative traits are attributed to low-status or disadvantaged groups (e.g., laziness, incompetence), which provides a “reason” or excuse for why these groups face discrimination or unequal treatment. By doing this, stereotypes make social inequalities seem fair, natural, or deserved rather than arbitrary or unfair. This function helps maintain the existing social hierarchy by reducing moral discomfort or guilt about inequality and justifying ongoing prejudice and discrimination.

Question 4

What does Social Role Theory say about gender stereotypes?

Answer 4

Stereotypes arise from the roles men and women occupy, like associating warmth with homemakers and assertiveness with professionals.

Question 5

What is stereotype threat?

Answer 5

Anxiety from fear of confirming a negative stereotype, which impairs performance in domains tied to group identity.

Question 6

What emotions arise when an out-group threatens the in-group?

Answer 6

Fear and disgust if the in-group lacks resources; anger and hatred if it has resources

Question 7

What is aversive racism?

Answer 7

A form of racism where individuals appear non-prejudiced but unconsciously hold negative attitudes and avoid out-group interactions.

Question 8

What does system justification theory explain?

Answer 8

How high-status groups legitimize their privilege and low-status groups internalize negative views to explain their position.

Question 9

What is depersonalization in intergroup bias?

Answer 9

Seeing individuals as mere representatives of their group rather than as unique people.

Question 10

What is the self-fulfilling prophecy in intergroup relations?

Answer 10

Treating out-group members based on stereotypes causes them to behave in ways that confirm those stereotypes.

Question 11

What does realistic conflict theory propose?

Answer 11

Competition over resources leads to intergroup hostility, and cooperation can reduce conflict.

Question 12

What is symbolic or modern racism?

Answer 12

Subtle forms of racism masked by rationalizations and ideologies that justify discrimination and avoidance.

Question 13

How do implicit biases affect behavior?

Answer 13

They shape decisions and interactions unconsciously, often diverging from explicit beliefs and contributing to discrimination.

Question 14

What makes stereotype threat stronger?

Answer 14

When group identity is salient, the task is difficult, and the individual cares about the domain.

Question 15

What is the difference between entitativity and homogeneity?

Answer 15

entitativity is about group unity and shared goals; homogeneity is about similarity among members.

Question 16

What theory explains how people categorize themselves and others into social groups?

Answer 16

Social Identity Theory and Self-Categorization Theory.

Question 17

What is in-group derogation and why is it significant?

Answer 17

When individuals devalue members of their own group, challenging the assumption that prejudice is always directed outward.

often to align with dominant norms or protect self-esteem.

E.g Low-status group members supporting stereotypes about their own group (e.g., “people like us are lazy”).

Question 18

What is ethnocentrism?

Answer 18

The tendency to view one’s own culture as superior; treated as a sociological concern.

Question 19

What is depersonalization in intergroup bias?

Answer 19

Seeing members of a group as representatives of a category rather than as individuals.

Question 20

What does “socially shared” mean in the context of stereotypes and prejudice?

Answer 20

Attitudes are consensually shared within a group, making them more powerful than individual opinions.

Question 21

What is entitativity and how does it affect stereotyping?

Answer 21

The perception of a group as a unified whole; high entitativity makes it easier to apply traits like “lazy” or “stupid.”

Question 22

What is the justification function of stereotypes?

Answer 22

Explains group disadvantage and legitimizes discrimination by attributing negative traits to low-status groups.

Question 23

What motivates the justification function?

Answer 23

Need for consistency, predictability, control, avoidance of uncertainty, and belief in a just world.

Question 24

What study supports Realistic Conflict Theory?

Answer 24

The Robbers Cave study, where two groups of boys developed hostility through competition and harmony through cooperation.

Competition over limited resources → intergroup hostility (Realistic Conflict Theory).
• Shared goals and cooperation → reduced hostility and built positive intergroup relations.

Question 25

What are group-based emotions and when do they arise?

Answer 25

Emotions like fear, disgust, anger, and guilt arise depending on perceived threat and resource availability.

Question 26

What leads to collective guilt in high-status groups?

Answer 26

When members see their advantage as unfair and feel their group violates important values.

Question 27

What is the difference between stereotype and prejudice in terms of content?

Answer 27

Stereotypes = cognitive content; Prejudice = emotional affect.

Question 28

What causes intergroup conflict according to the paper?

Answer 28

The disagreement happens when one group judges the other’s traits as less important, wrong, or inferior, which can fuel intergroup tension. Traits are valued based on a group’s culture, social goals, and history; what one group sees as important may be different from another, which can lead to conflict.

Question 29

What study illustrates stereotype threat in African American students?

Answer 29

They performed worse on intelligence tests when their race was made salient. Steele & Aronson (1995) – Stereotype Threat African American and White students took a difficult verbal test. When framed as diagnostic of intelligence (stereotype threat condition), African Americans performed worse than Whites. When framed as a problem-solving exercise (non-diagnostic), performance gaps disappeared. Making race salient (e.g., asking race before test) also impaired performance.

Question 30

What study illustrates stereotype threat in sports?

Answer 30

Mini-golf study: White athletes underperformed when framed as athletic ability; Black athletes underperformed when framed as strategic intelligence.

Question 31

What factors intensify stereotype threat?

Answer 31

Salient group identity, difficult tasks, caring about the domain, and being in a culturally dominant environment.

Question 32

What is a coping strategy for stereotype threat?

Answer 32

Detaching identity from the domain to protect self-esteem. Disidentification (coping with stereotype threat) Chronic exposure to stereotype threat can lead individuals to detach self-esteem from a domain (e.g., academics). This protects self-worth in the short term but reduces motivation, persistence, and performance over time, leading to disengagement from the domain. Example: An African American student repeatedly facing stereotype threat in academics may start thinking, “School success doesn’t define me. My value isn’t tied to grades.”

Question 33

What groups are affected by stereotype threat?

Answer 33

Women (math, negotiation), low SES (intelligence), elderly (memory), Latina women (math), Black and white men (sports).

Question 34

What are theories of contemporary racism?

Answer 34

Symbolic racism, modern racism, ambivalent racism, and subtle racism.

Question 35

How does aversive racism manifest in behavior?

Answer 35

Discrimination occurs when actions can be explained away; otherwise, individuals appear unbiased. A subtle form of prejudice where people endorse egalitarian values but hold unconscious biases. It manifests in avoidance, cold/distant interactions, biased decisions in ambiguous situations, rationalizing unfair choices, and inconsistent helping behavior. Most visible when norms of equality are unclear.

Question 36

How does implicit bias affect intergroup dynamics?

Answer 36

It shapes decisions, perceptions, and interactions unconsciously, often diverging from explicit beliefs.

Question 37

Symbolic racism

Answer 37

rooted in moral values, sees minorities as violating traditional norms. Prejudice is expressed symbolically—through policy attitudes and value-based justifications—rather than openly racist beliefs.

Question 38

- Modern racism:

Answer 38

subtle, expressed through opposition to policies that benefit minority groups.

Question 39

- Ambivalent Racism:

Answer 39

the tension between egalitarian values and lingering negative feelings toward out-groups. when people hold both positive and negative attitudes toward a racial group at the same time. inconsistent behavior—sometimes supportive and egalitarian, sometimes discriminatory or distancing.

Question 40

subtle racisim

Answer 40

manifests in everyday interactions — microaggressions, avoidance, coded language.

Question 41

- Cultural Sensitivity Training:

Answer 41

a practical application aimed at reducing intergroup conflict by increasing awareness of bias and improving communication.

Question 42

- Grain of Truth Theories

Answer 42

argue that stereotypes often stem from real group differences, but they get exaggerated and distorted.