Katrina Pride
PSY301: Social Psychology
Instructor: Michelle Andes
July 1, 2013
When it comes to prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination the root of it does not have a common knowledge of where it comes from. People tend to stay with those who have the same features as them, have the same beliefs and/or same characteristics as they do. In reference to the above sentence it may make it difficult or challenging for us to adapt or adjust to the characteristics, beliefs and values of others are different from what we are a custom to. Most people have encountered prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination sometime within their life time. Social discrimination and prejudice have a very intense impact on today’s society which leads to a list of problems. This paper will discuss prejudice, stereotype and discrimination and the connection that they have with social psychology as well as the consequences of stereotyping and discrimination along with strategies that can improve attitudes, judgments, as well as behaviors. Prejudice involves a negative attitude toward individuals based on their membership in a particular group. Discrimination is “treating or acting unfairly toward particular categories of people”. Conflict Research Consortium says “Prejudice and discrimination are negative manifestations of integrative power. Instead of bringing or holding people together, prejudice and discrimination push them apart”. Stereotyping is a “schema that organizes knowledge or perceptions about a category”. A group in which you belong to would be known as your in-group, based off of race, gender, location, beliefs, or social groups such as bowling leagues or fraternity. On another hand a group that you don’t belong to is known as out-group. When it comes to prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping I can relate to discrimination due to the fact that I am a minister, on my job people shun me and think that I am stuck up
References: Brown, Rupert (2010). Prejudice: It’s Social Psyhcology Crocker, Jennifer, & Luhtanen, Riia (1991). A Collective Self-esteem Scale: Self Evaluation of One’s Social Idenity Feenstra, Jennifer (2011). Introduction to Social Psychology Tajfel, H. (1970). Experiments in Intergroup Discrimination