Stereotypes and prejudice;2

Question 1

What is the Contact Hypothesis by Allport and what are its conditions?

Answer 1

Allport’s Contact Hypothesis (1954) says prejudice can be reduced through positive intergroup contact, but it only works if:
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1.Groups have equal status
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2.They work toward common goals
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2.Interaction is cooperative
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3.There’s institutional support (e.g., a teacher or authority figure encouraging collaboration)

Question 2

What cognitive processes contribute to the formation of stereotypes?

Answer 2

1.Categorization: Grouping people simplifies perception but leads to overgeneralization.

2.Illusory correlation: Seeing a false link between a group and a behavior (e.g., “all immigrants are violent”).

3.Confirmation bias: Noticing information that confirms a stereotype while ignoring contradiction.

4.Subtyping: Seeing counterexamples as “exceptions” rather than changing the stereotype.