Psychology 3723F/G Lecture Notes - Eval, Ageism, Ingroups And Outgroups
Document Summary
Steretypes: a set of characteristics that a perceiver associates with members of a group (cognitive); can be positive or negative. Prejudice: a negative attitude toward members of a group, which can be strongly help (evaluative; attitude); always negative. Discrimination: negative, harmful behaviour toward people based on their group membership (behaciour, overt); always negative. Homosexuals: both sexes more negative to own-sex homosexuals inconsistent with a competition view. Consistent with a fear of being approached view. Demographic groups: sexism, ageism, poverty ism. Five processes/mechanisms will be discussed: evolution, socialization, competition for resources, cognitive processes, moticational processes. Humans evolved in small groups that often had confluctial relationships with surrounding outgroups. Negative outcomes often resulted from contact with outgroups: violence, slavery, disease. Led to innate suspicion/fear of outgroup members. Mere exposure effect is the opposing tendency to prefer known or familiar things. Children are often taught extremely negative views of outgroups. Discriminatory behaviours can be rewarded by parents and peer groups.