Instructor “Quiz” 1. What kind of music do I like? 2. What kind of car do I drive? 3. What activities did I participate in in high school? 4. Am I a first-, second-, or third-born child? 5. How many people in my family have been to college? 6.What do I like to do in my free time?

Social Cognition

Overview Stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination Where do they come from? What can we do about them? In-class activity: Aggression-bullying

Up in the Air example

Stereotypes (cognitive) Generalized beliefs about others Prejudice (affective) Feelings or evaluations (+/-) of others Discrimination (behavioral) Behaviors (+/-) directed toward others

Stereotype Prejudice Discrimination Female doctors are incompetent. i76ituituk Female doctors are incompetent. I don’t trust female doctors. I refuse to be treated by a female doctor. Stereotype Prejudice Discrimination

“Only men should be president because they are smarter than girls “Only men should be president because they are smarter than girls.” (7-year-old girl)

What are the consequences of stereotypes and prejudice?

Q: Where do stereotypes and prejudice come from? A: Social learning

Where do stereotypes and prejudice come from?

Who’s the Methodist?

Q: Where do stereotypes and prejudice come from? Perceptual salience Minority/majority status Labeling (e.g., teachers) Segregation

What can we do about stereotypes and prejudice? Expect bias Raise awareness Avoid group salience, labeling etc. Support equal status interaction Be direct and talk about it!

Big problem: Schemas! Schematic processing Remember Piaget

Intervention approaches Jackie Robinson was a famous baseball player whose career suffered because of racism

Intervention approaches: Role models Adult: “How do you know only white men have been president of the United States?” Elementary student: "Have you seen the money?"

Intervention approaches: Role models Example: U.S. presidents: race & gender

U.S. president: race & gender Most kids believe the presidency should be open to men and women of all races and ethnicities BUT reasons for lack of diversity are cynical and disturbing: “Only men should be president because they are smarter than girls.” (7 yr. old girl) "White people don't like black people (10 yr. old Black child) “It is against the law for a black person or a woman to be president. “ (multiple children, 1/3 of African-American children believed that this is still true!)

What should we do? Some are wary of discussing delicate issues BUT indirect paths (books, movies with counterstereotypical examples) are not sufficient (remember schemas!) Direct conversations are more fruitful!

What should we do? Talk to kids. They are perceptive and notice racial and gender differences! Inequality exists and we can’t pretend that it doesn’t e.g., If adults don't acknowledge and discuss that all the presidents have been males, or poor neighborhoods are mostly black and Latino, children will form their own, probably prejudicial, explanations.