Content Summary: Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination
Assignment
Lauren M Manley
Department of Psychology, Liberty University
PSYC512: Social Psychology
Dr. Tracy Gomez
September 12, 2022
The principles of social psychology, including the ABCs—affect, behavior, and cognition—
apply to the study of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination, and social psychologists have
expended substantial research efforts studying these concepts (Figure 11.2). The cognitive
component in our perceptions of group members is the —the positive or negative beliefs that
we hold about the characteristics of social group. We may decide that “French people are
romantic,” that “old people are incompetent,” or that “college professors are absent minded.”
And we may use those beliefs to guide our actions toward people from those groups. In
addition to our stereotypes, we may also develop —an unjustifiable negative attitude toward
an outgroup or toward the members of that outgroup. Prejudice can take the form of disliking,
anger, fear, disgust, discomfort, and even hatred—the kind of affective states that can lead to
behavior such as the gay bashing you just read about. Our stereotypes and our prejudices are
problematic because they may create —unjustified negative behaviors toward members of
outgroups based on their group membership.
Although violence against members of outgroups is fortunately rare, stereotypes, prejudice,
and discrimination nevertheless influence people’s lives in a variety of ways. Stereotypes
influence our academic performance (Shapiro & Neuberg, 2007), the careers that we chose to
follow (Zhang, Schmader, & Forbes, 2009), our experiences at work (Fiske & Lee, 2008), and the
amount that we are paid for the work that we do (Jackson, 2011; Wood & Eagly, 2010).
Stereotypes
A is a specific belief or assumption (thoughts) about individuals based solely on theirstereotype
membership in a group, regardless of their individual characteristics. Stereotypes can be
positive or negative and when overgeneralized are applied to all members of a group. For
example, the stereotype of Asian Americans as highly intelligent, diligent and model minority
good at math can be damaging professionally, academically (Trytten et al., 2012). These beliefs
are overgeneralized to all members of the group, even though many of the individual group
