Ch 12: Improving Inter-group Relations Flashcards
(26 cards)
Tokenism
favoring a minority group member over a majority group member in isolated episodes
- can lead to moral credentialing
- can be used consciously or unconsciously to disguise prejudice
Affirmative Action
policies designed to promote the employment of people from disadvantaged minority groups
-can lead to moral credentialing of the company & worse self esteem of the employees who are aware they are “tokens”
Positive feedback bias
giving positive feedback or less critical feedback on work believed to have come form a minority group member
-can be detrimental in that neg. feedback is often necessary
Reverse discrimination
people who harbor prejudice attitudes openly displaying pro-minority behavior
Contact Theory
Allports theory that bringing members of opposing groups together will improve inter-group relations and reduce prejudice/discrimination
Optimal conditions for contact theory
-equality of status
-common goals
-inter-group cooperation
-support of authorities, law or custom
(not necessary for contact theory, hence optimal conditions)
Extended contact effect
contact theory via virtual or vicarious contact
-people are less prejudiced if they are friends with people who have out-group friends
Imagined contact effect
temporarily reduced prejudice by imagining a positive episode with an out-group member
-can also amplify pre-existing tensions and negative associations unless positive aspects are included
Decatagorization
focusing on individual (personal) differences rather than group identity
-minimal categories can lead to prejudice, more inclusive and complex categories lead to less prejudice
Common in-group identity model
if members of opposing groups re-categorize themselves as members of the same group attitudes improve
-important factors: salience of super-ordinate identities, common goals
Crossed Categorization
categorizing oneself on more than one dimension at the same time (sub-ordinate & super-ordinate identities) can decrease perceptions of differences between categories/groups (mutual differentiation model)
Mutual differentiation model
distinctiveness threat when super-ordinate identity looks as though it may replace sub-ordinate identity
-prejudice can become worse by imposing super-ordinate identity without preserving sub-ordinate identities at the same time
Social identity complexity
extent to which a persons important social identities or group memberships overlap with each other
-higher complexity -> higher tolerance and positivity toward out-groups
Multiculturalism
ideology that diversity in a society should be acknowledged and celebrated
-contrasted with assimilation/integrationism/colorblindness
Assimilation/integrationism/colorblindness
idea that diversity in a society should be downplayed and attempts should be made to downplay differences between groups (melting pot)
Feeling thermometer
rating scale to measure feelings of “warmth” and “coldness” to people of different groups
Rebound effect of though suppression
finding that after suppressing an unwanted thought or stereotype it can come back stronger than before
Ironic monitoring
idea that monitoring mental content for signs of unwanted thoughts can ironically activate the unwanted though
-ex. don’t think of a white elephant
Apologies
- people feel insulted by apologies with reparations but no expression of guilt
- tend to have little impact on forgiveness due to poor memory for apologies and perceptions of the out-group as less able to experience complex emotions such as remorse
Communication and negotiation
enables people to cooperate and overcome conflict, especially if face to face
bargaining
offering something and negotiating an acceptable outcome
mediation
independent third party coming to help
arbitration
independent third party imposing a settlement on both groups
Graduated and reciprocated initiative in tension reduction (GRIT)
conflict reduction technique that relies on both groups reciprocating a series of de-escalating actions
