powerpoint_ch10.pptx

Chapter 10 The Experience of Discrimination Social Stigma  Privileged status defined by group’s power and influence  Membership in dominant group is a status seen as natural and normal, and is usually taken for granted  Stigmatized groups differ from privileged groups in terms of appearance or...

Chapter 10 The Experience of Discrimination Social Stigma  Privileged status defined by group’s power and influence  Membership in dominant group is a status seen as natural and normal, and is usually taken for granted  Stigmatized groups differ from privileged groups in terms of appearance or behavior What Defines a Stigmatized Group?  Dominant group determines who is stigmatized  Depends on historical and cultural context  Stigmatized individuals have a characteristic that is devalued by dominant group and sets them apart What Defines a Stigmatized Group?      Course (stability) Concealability Aesthetic qualities Origin Danger Course  Some stigmas are stable/irreversible  Other stigmas are unstable and can change over time • Benign stigmas are often temporary Concealability  Some stigmas can be hidden or controlled  Concealing a stigma does not reduce the associated guilt and shame  People with unconcealable stigmas must directly cope with the prejudice and discrimination associated with their group membership Aesthetic Qualities  Many stereotypes are triggered by physical appearance cues  Less physically attractive people more likely to be stigmatized: • Facial asymmetry/disfigurement • Weight • Old age Origin  How did the stigma come to be?  Is the onset under the control of the stigmatized individual? • People feel more pity and less anger if they see a stigma as uncontrollable Peril  Members of some stigmatized groups are perceived to be dangerous  Groups assumed to be more dangerous are more stigmatized Stigma by Association  Members of the dominant group can receive a courtesy stigma when they associate with members of a stigmatized group: • Can have negative social consequences Neuberg et al. (1994)  Male participants watched social interaction between two other males  Participants were told males were either two friends or two strangers  One of the males (person A) revealed information to the other (person B) suggesting he was either gay or heterosexual  Participants were less comfortable with B when he was friends with A (as gay): • B stigmatized for associating with A Tokenism  Token status occurs when: • There is a preponderance of one group over another, and only a few members from the “other” group are represented  Majority group members can have stigmatizing experiences from being a minority in a particular context: • Can be treated as tokens Tokenism Three perceptual tendencies affect tokens 1. Visibility – tokens capture awareness because of their uniqueness 2. Contrast – differences between token and dominant group are exaggerated 3. Assimilation – members of dominant group distort token’s characteristics to fit the stereotype Tokenism  Actions of token are seen as representative of the entire group  Tokens may feel isolated • But must ignore differences and not let them affect their work  Can lead to a chilly climate • Tokens do not feel welcome or supported in the environment Men in Female Dominated Professions  Rarely have negative experiences like women do in male-dominated professions  Glass Escalator Effect • Men in female dominated professions may find themselves on the fast track to promotion Personal/Group Discrimination Discrepancy (PGDD)  People’s belief that their group, as a whole, is more likely to be discriminated against than they, themselves, are as individuals  Explanations: • Cognitive • Motivational PGDD: Cognitive Explanations  A function of the way people process information: • Group examples more readily come to mind because group information is more easily processed than individual information PGDD: Cognitive Explanations  People use different comparison standards to judge their own vs. group’s level of discrimination: • People consider their experiences in comparison with own group members • Compare group’s discriminatory experiences to other group PGDD: Motivational Explanations  People have reasons for believing they are not personally discriminated against  Want to deny or minimize own experiences with discrimination Why Minimize the Experience of Discrimination?  People may: • Feel responsible for any poor treatment they receive • Deny discrimination to justify not taking action against unfair treatment • View their own situation as relatively harmless compared to others • Not want to acknowledge they do not fit in with social group Why Minimize the Experience of Discrimination?  There are social costs of claiming discrimination: • Avoid costs by distancing themselves from claims of unfairness • Awareness of costs can affect decision to report discrimination  Stigmatized group members distance themselves from negative attributes associated with their group Recognizing Discrimination  People compare their experiences to a set of expectations for what constitutes discrimination  Are more likely to claim discrimination if: • The behavior comes from an outgroup • They attribute negative treatment to an uncontrollable attribute • It is not masked by humor or flattery Individual Differences  People who identify highly with their group are more likely to report discrimination  But, this might be because they are more sensitive to possible discrimination: • Are high in stigma consciousness:  Believe they live in a stereotyped world Willingness to Confront Discrimination  How willing are people to confront discrimination? • Not very  In one study, 75% of women were non-confrontational when facing sexism Claiming Discrimination  Claiming discrimination has social costs people may prefer to avoid  Dominant groups may view those claiming discrimination as: • Whiners • Taking advantage of discrimination for personal gain Claims of Discrimination by Ingroup Members  Whether an ingroup member experiences costs when claiming discrimination depends on if a strong case for discrimination can be made Stereotype Threat  Proposition that stigmatized group members are aware that they are stereotyped • Fear confirming stereotypes:  Especially in achievement settings Key Features of Stereotype Threat 1. It’s a general process 2. It can affect everyone, even high status groups 3. Stems from situational pressures that bring the stereotype to mind, not merely from internalization of the stereotype Key Features of Stereotype Threat 4. The nature of the threat varies by the context of the stereotype: • • • Stereotype threat operates by changing the way information is processed Reduces working memory capacity Most likely to occur when tasks are difficult or frustrating Individual Differences  Stereotype threat is strongest: • For those whose self-esteem is tied to their performance  Some people are generally more alert to threat potential than others Psychological Processes Affecting Stereotype Threat  Not related to distraction, academic competence, stereotype endorsement, evaluation apprehension, self-esteem, and selfreported anxiety  Being under stereotype threat: • Is physiologically arousing • Reduces cognitive resources Reducing Stereotype Threat  Keep achievement test instructions neutral  Provide role models that disconfirm stereotype  Change the way feedback is given  Have people write about their values  Educate people about stereotype threat Stereotype Lift  Information about group performance can provide a performance boost for members of nonstereotyped groups  Members of nonstereotyped groups engage in downward social comparison  Real-world implications • Advantages in high-stakes testing, e.g., SAT and PSAT Vulnerability to Stress  Chronic experience of prejudice or major individual incidences of prejudice can produce chronic stress associated with disease  Stigmatized groups members also experience non-normative life events that produce high levels of stress Minority Stress Model  Situational factors unrelated to one’s minority group membership are sources of general stress that affect people’s well-being • Examples: job loss, illness, or death of a loved one  Minorities experience additional stressors Stressors  External • Objective events which a stigmatized group member may or may not identify as acts of discrimination:  Examples: micro-aggressions, bullying, violence Stressors  Internal • Stigmatized group members’ expectation that they will be rejected because of group membership Minority Stress Model  Internal and external stressors are interdependent  Exposure creates a toxic environment that damages health and well-being  Negative effects can be reduced for individuals who have good coping skills Indirect Effects of Minority Stress  Normative Events affect everyone but raise different issues for stigmatized groups • Examples: identity development; school socialization  Non-normative Events are experienced only by stigmatized groups • Some because of situational factors related to their group membership • Examples: immigration; coming out Stress-Related Responses to Prejudice and Discrimination  Unhealthy coping mechanisms: • Alcohol, tobacco, excessive eating  Discrimination in the healthcare system: • Results in delayed medical care  Parental distress Threats to Self-Esteem  Impact of prejudice and discrimination has complex effects of self-esteem  African Americans’ self-esteem does not suffer  Asians and Hispanics may have lower selfesteem  Differences may be due to individualistic versus collectivistic cultural attitudes Psychological Disengagement Defensive detachment of self-esteem from outcomes in a particular domain:  Feelings of self-worth are not dependent on successes or failures in that domain  Results in distancing of self from areas in which group expected to fail Behavioral Compensation  When people expect to be discriminated against, can compensate by changing behavior to disconfirm stereotype  Members of stigmatized groups must overcome added burdens  As levels of prejudice increase, higher levels of compensation are required Behavioral Compensation Ability to compensate depends on  Demands of prejudice-related situation: •  Must not be so high that person cannot overcome them Person must acquire skills needed for compensation: • May be unintended consequences – misjudging requirements of situation