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Understanding Prejudice and Aggression Concepts

May 14, 2025

EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE

Chapter 9: Prejudice

Key Concepts

  • Prejudice vs. Stereotypes vs. Discrimination

    • Prejudice: Preconceived negative judgment of a group and its individual members
      • Forms include religious, obesity, sexual orientation, age, immigrant, and political prejudices.
      • Associated with affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions (ABCs of Attitude).
    • Stereotypes: Beliefs about the personal attributes of a group
      • Often overgeneralized and inaccurate.
      • Can be positive or negative.
    • Discrimination: Unjustified negative behavior toward a group based on prejudicial attitudes.
  • Racism and Sexism

    • Racism: Prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behavior toward a race.
    • Sexism: Prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behavior based on sex.

Implicit and Explicit Attitudes

  • Dual Attitude System
    • Implicit: Automatic, unconscious attitudes.
    • Explicit: Conscious attitudes.
  • Implicit Association Test (IAT): Assesses implicit cognition.

Racial Prejudice

  • Still prevalent; perspectives differ by race.
  • Influenced by historical context and lived experience.

Subtle Forms of Prejudice

  • Employment discrimination
  • Favoritism in services (e.g., AirBnB, Uber/Lyft)
  • Police interactions
  • Patronization: Race sensitivity leading to overpraise.

Automatic Prejudice

  • Can have life-or-death consequences.
  • Studies show implicit biases influence perceptions and actions.

Gender Stereotypes and Sexism

  • Gender stereotypes: Beliefs about how genders differ.
  • Benevolent vs. Hostile Sexism
    • Benevolent Sexism: Appears positive but limits independence.
    • Hostile Sexism: Overt and aggressive.

Global Gender Discrimination

  • Western: #MeToo movement highlights ongoing bias.
  • Non-Western: Strong gender biases present.

Social Sources of Prejudice

  • Influenced by social status, parental socialization, and institutional support.
  • Authoritarian Personality: Intolerance for weakness and submission to authority.

Motivational Sources of Prejudice

  • Social Identity Theory: Ingroup bias and identity.
  • Scapegoat Theory: Frustration leads to displaced aggression.

Breaking Prejudice

  • Awareness and motivation to change implicit beliefs can reduce prejudice.

Cognitive Sources of Prejudice

  • Categorization: Natural but can lead to stereotyping.
  • Spontaneous Categorization and Outgroup Homogeneity Effect: Overgeneralization.

Distinctiveness and Perceptions

  • Distinctiveness: Highlights differences and can lead to illusory correlations.

Stereotype Threat

  • Concerns about being judged based on stereotypes can impact performance.

Chapter 10: Aggression

Definition and Forms

  • Aggression: Behavior intended to cause harm.
  • Physical Aggression: Physical harm.
  • Social Aggression: Emotional harm, includes cyberbullying.

Biological Theories of Aggression

  • Instinct Theory: Aggression as innate and adaptive.
  • Neural Influences: Brain areas linked to aggression.
  • Genetic Influences: Hereditary aspects.
  • Biochemical Influences: Role of substances like alcohol and testosterone.

Frustration-Aggression Theory

  • Frustration can lead to aggression, especially with triggers.
  • Displacement: Redirecting aggression to safer targets.

Social Learning and Aggression

  • Social Learning Theory: Observing and imitating aggressive behavior.
  • Bobo Doll Experiment: Demonstrated imitated aggression.

Media Influence

  • Media and Aggression: Violence in media can increase aggression.
  • Video Games: Violent games linked to increased aggression.

Group Influence

  • Groups can amplify aggression through shared responsibility.

Study Tips

  • Focus on understanding differences between key terms in prejudice (e.g., prejudice, stereotype, discrimination).
  • Remember real-world examples and studies mentioned (e.g., IAT, Bobo Doll experiment).
  • Consider both biological and social learning aspects when studying aggression.
  • Review the social sources of prejudice and how they perpetuate biases.