Theories & Concepts in Inter group Relations Negative Contact Stereotypes Prejudice Discrimination A basic framework Stephan & Stephan

Prejudice=Negative attitudes Negative evaluations & feelings (E.g., Evaluations=I don’t like…, Feelings=I hate) Stereotypes=Assumptions that members of a certain group have a certain characteristic E.g., Asians are ‘smart’ –E.g., “Dear White Boss” article: Blacks are perceived as a group when referred to as ‘them’ or ‘you people Discrimination-Unequal treatment or behavior toward members of different groups –E.g., Dear White Boss article, Black bosses with black subordinates are more likely to be scrutinized Review of Definitions

Give an example distinguishing the three concepts What are the differences in consequences of stereotypes vs. prejudice vs. discrimination Review Qs

Causes of Negative Contact How to reduce it

Causes of Negative Contact Societal Factors Person Factors Situational Factors Negative Contact

Person Factors Situational Factors Negative Contact Societal Factors Create equal status conditions during contact –E.g., match on SES, education Remove barriers to equal status –E.g., Legislation

Person factors Cognitive abilities (e.g., to understand statistical info) Motivation (e.g., openness to change) Intensity of affect toward group Cognitions of other group Societal Factors Situational Factors Negative Contact

Situational Factors Cooperation b/w group members leads to positive outcome Group identities are salient after positive outcome but not before Contact is Not superficial Supported by respected authority figures Voluntary Task is engaging Societal Factors Person Factors Negative Contact

Societal Factors e.g., legislation supporting gay marriage Person Factors e.g., liberal vs. conservative; intensity of dislike Situational Factors e.g., create joint task in community Reduced Negative Contact How to reduce Negative Contact b/w Gays & Heterosexuals in Community

Negative Contact Stereotypes Prejudice Discrimination Overview of Lecture

Causes of Prejudice How to reduce it

Perceived competition for insufficient resources Threats involving resources, values, anxiety, stereotypes Belief that own group is better Positive evaluation of in group to boost self esteem Traditional Causes of Prejudice Prejudice

Perceived competition for insufficient resources –Perceived over-rides actual threat E.g., Israel vs. Palestinian conflict about land; USA/Canada vs. China and S. E. Asian countries due to fewer jobs Prejudice

Reduce Prejudice Reduce perceived competition for resources Provide accurate information about group differences

Perceived competition for insufficient resources Threats involving resources, values, anxiety, stereotypes Belief that own group is better Positive evaluation of in- group to boost self esteem Traditional Causes of Prejudice Prejudice

Anxiety about interacting with out-group because expect negative outcomes E.g., expect interactions w/Black male as being hostile Perceive out-group values as threatening E.g., value of hedonism Negative stereotypes of out- group are threatening E.g., Blacks perceived as threatening bec. of skin colour & facial features Perceived Threat Prejudice

Reduce Anxiety about interacting with out-group Reduce Perceived Threat Reduce Prejudice Enable positive face-face interactions

Perceived competition for insufficient resources Threats involving resources, values, anxiety, stereotypes Belief that own group is better Positive evaluation of in group to boost self esteem Traditional Causes of Prejudice Prejudice

Positive evaluation of outgroup members now regarded as part of ingroup Reduced Prejudice Stretch in-group boundaries to include out-group Highlight membership in common in-groups Increase similarity

Type of ExerciseSimilarity Concept highlighted Being White is like..” How Visible minorities are similar to Whites when students had to apply the same statement for Whites and VMs Cultural circlesCommon struggle of talking about oneself; lack of role models in culture; of customs, values etc. Pie chartShared group memberships among students

Have positive & negative feelings toward out- group E.g., sympathy vs. aversion Have negative feelings toward out-group but value equality Have negative feelings toward out-group and perceive differences in values E.g., in self-reliance Experience guilt for having negative thoughts & feelings Complex Causes of Prejudice

Have negative feelings toward out-group but value equality? –Highlight feeling-value discrepancy Have negative feelings toward out-group and perceive differences in values? –Provide accurate information about out-group’s values Targeting Complex Causes of Prejudice

Negative Contact Stereotypes Prejudice Discrimination This lecture vs. Next lecture