Title: 11.5 Prejudice & Discrimination – Introductory Psychology
Headings: 11.5 Prejudice & Discrimination
11.5 Prejudice & Discrimination
Learning Objectives
Prejudice and discrimination occur across the globe. (a) A 1939 sign in German-occupied Poland warns “No Entrance for Poles!” (b) A Black man drinks from a designated “colored” water fountain in Oklahoma in 1939 during the era of racial segregation as a practice of discrimination. (c) A member of the Westboro Baptist Church, widely identified as a hate group, engages in discrimination based on religion and sexual orientation. (credit b: modification of work by United States Farm Security Administration; credit c: modification of work by “JCWilmore”/Wikimedia Commons)
UNDERSTANDING PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION
TYPES OF PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION
Racism
Sexism
Women now have many jobs previously closed to them, though they still face challenges in male-dominated occupations. (credit: “Alex”/Flickr)
Ageism
Homophobia
Research on Homophobia
WHY DO PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION EXIST?
STEREOTYPES AND SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY
IN-GROUPS AND OUT-GROUPS
These children are very young, but they are already aware of their gender in-group and out-group. (credit: modification of work by Simone Ramella)
SUMMARY
References:
Exercises
Review Questions:
Critical Thinking Questions:
Personal Application Questions:
Glossary:
Answers to Exercises
Review Questions:
Critical Thinking Questions:
Glossary:

Content: Stereotypes become overgeneralized when applied to all members of a group. For example, someone holding prejudiced attitudes toward older adults, may believe that older adults are slow and incompetent (Cuddy, Norton, & Fiske, 2005; Nelson, 2004). We cannot possibly know each individual person of advanced age to know that all older adults are slow and incompetent. Therefore, this negative belief is overgeneralized to all members of the group, even though many of the individual group members may in fact be spry and intelligent. Another example of a well-known stereotype involves beliefs about racial differences among athletes. As Hodge, Burden, Robinson, and Bennett (2008) point out, Black male athletes are often believed to be more athletic, yet less intelligent, than their White male counterparts. These beliefs persist despite a number of high profile examples to the contrary. Sadly, such beliefs often influence how these athletes are treated by others and how they view themselves and their own capabilities. Whether or not you agree with a stereotype, stereotypes are generally well-known within in a given culture (Devine, 1989).