PSYC12H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Realistic Conflict Theory, Impression Formation, Stamen
Document Summary
2: origin and maintenance of stereotypes and prejudice. Stereotype was once regarding as a sign of the moral deficiency of the stereotyper, or as an indicator of repressed unconscious hostility. Cognitive psychologists found tht the human brain seems to almost automatically classify or categorize similar objects in the environment. This is shown in children as young as 6 months. Most ppl now agree with alport that stereotypes as a natural consequence of cognition. When we see a person we automatically assess that person on the basis of our perception of that person"s features. We categorize as we have a limited capacity cognitive system that cannot simultaneously process all the available information in our social environment. Because we have a need to understand and anticipate behavior of others, humans have developed ways around our limited cognitive system, one of them is categorization. We categorize ppl (objects, ideas, etc. ) on the basis of shared features or even shared time and space.
