Chapter 1, part 1 - PSD Flashcards
(10 cards)
What does social categories enable us to do?
They enable us to organize our perceptions about people, freeing us from the burden of attending to all the characteristics of each person we meet.
What is the problem with social categories?
They can lead to stereotyping, self-fulfilling
prophecies, and the division of the world into ingroups (endogroupe) and outgroups
(exogroupe).
What is a self-fulfilling prophecy (or Rosenthal effect)?
It’s “a process in which we find confirmation and proof for our stereotypes by unknowingly creating stereotypical behavior in out-group members through our treatment of them”.
Why do self-fulfilling prophecies happen?
Because our beliefs influence our actions.
What is an early example of a self-fulfilling prophecy?
The Greek myths surrounding Oedipus. Oedipus fulfills the oracle’s prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother, by striving to avoid the prophecy. This can be called a self-fulfilling prophecy because it is Oedipus’ actions that make the prophecy come true.
Summarize the three (3) main concepts of the text.
1) Stereotypes : Racist or sexist attitudes (My race/sex is superior)
2) Prejudices : I like/dislike black people
3) Discrimination : Segregation, harassment, oppression
What is an endostereotype?
Stereotypes towards our own group.
What is an exostereotype?
Stereotypes towards an outside group.
Who developed the social identity theory and when?
Henri Tajfel and John Turner in 1979.
What is the social identity theory? Explain the three mental processes?
Tajfel and Turner proposed that there are three mental processes involved in evaluating others as “us” or
“them” (i.e. “in-group” and “out-group”. These take place in a particular order: Social categorization => Social identification => Social comparison
