Psychology of Stereotyping

Stereotyping and Its Control

• Factors limiting stereotype inhibition include alcohol intoxication, which impairs cognitive function.
• Application stereotyping refers to using stereotypes to evaluate individuals after they are activated; suppression of this application is possible.
• A dormant stereotype, once activated, influences thoughts and behaviors toward a social group, especially those one does not know well.

Motivations for Behavior Consistency

• Self-enhancement goals involve maintaining a positive self-image.
• Comprehension goals focus on forming accurate perceptions of others and understanding social events.
• Social adjustment goals drive individuals to conform to situational norms, avoiding expressing counter-beliefs for group cohesion.
• Motivation to control prejudice emerges from personal values and concerns about social perception.

Cognitive Processes and Stereotypes

• Cognitive busyness depletes working memory, disrupting stereotype activation and processing.
• Automatic processing of stereotypes is influenced by context, personal prejudices, and cognitive load.

The Role of Goals in Stereotyping

• Comprehension goals seek clarity about individuals and social dynamics.
• Self-enhancement goals foster a favorable self-view.
• Social adjustment goals modify behavior to align with group norms.
• Motivation to control prejudice aims to prevent biased actions based on ethical principles.

Ego-Defensive Function of Stereotypes

• Stereotypes serve an ego-defensive function by helping individuals protect self-concept against internal and external criticism.
• Derogatory views of outgroups can arise from projection of one's negative feelings.

D's of Difference and Their Impact

• Distancing involves avoiding dissimilar situations; it can be physical, emotional, or intellectual.
• Denial refers to dismissing perceived differences with others.
• Defensiveness safeguards against appearing unfair or biased.
• Devaluing sees differences as deficiencies.
• Discovery appreciates and recognizes the enriching aspects of diversity.

Social Adjustment Function of Stereotypes

• Norms and expectations shape thoughts and feelings toward others, promoting conformity among group members.

Principles and Hypotheses in Stereotyping

• The "man-first" principle relates to prioritizing male representation in language.
• The kernel of truth hypothesis suggests that stereotypes may contain a basis of truth.
• Correspondence bias attributes others' actions to their character rather than situational influences.
• The ultimate attribution error ascribes group failures to internal factors while blaming external forces for successes.

Cross-Racial Identification Bias

• This bias reflects the tendency to perceive individuals from other races as having similar appearances.
• Research indicates that individuals are often unaware that they use prototypical information in judgments.

Intersectionality and Social Categories

• Intersectionality recognizes individuals belong to multiple social categories, affecting their experiences.
• Basic categories include gender, race, and age, which contribute to the understanding of intersectional identities.

Schemas and Their Influence

• Schemas are cognitive frameworks that shape perception and understanding, influencing how individuals process information.

Research Methods and Validity

• Convenience samples are non-random groups chosen for research based on availability.
• Variables are characteristics on which people differ; validity assesses the accuracy of these measurements.
• Physiological measures assess biological responses, while unobtrusive measures examine behavior without detection.

Limitations of Self-Report Measurements

• Self-reporting may lead to biased results; discriminatory behavior can be evaluated through observational techniques.

Assessing Stereotypes

• Stereotypes can be assessed through tests requiring individuals to respond to prompts reflecting their beliefs.

Validity Types

• Convergent validity shows how well scores correlate with similar measures, while discriminant validity indicates the absence of unrelated constructs in measurement.

Targets of Prejudice

• Prejudice can target race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and appearance.

Cognitive Theory of Prejudice

• Prejudice is seen as a universal consequence of cognitive processing, simplifying group information.

Institutional and Organizational Discrimination

• Discrimination involves differential treatment based on group membership, occurring on individual and societal levels.
• Organizational discrimination stems from policies and practices within formal entities, leading to unequal outcomes.
• Institutional discrimination arises when societal norms and practices benefit one group over another, reflecting entrenched inequalities.