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Quick Review of Terms

Quick Review of Terms. Stereotypes are usually false generalizations: assumption that people of shared religious, ethnic, cultural, or other characteristics are the same (All aboriginals are alcoholics)

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Quick Review of Terms

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  1. Quick Review of Terms Stereotypes are usually false generalizations: assumption that people of shared religious, ethnic, cultural, or other characteristics are the same (All aboriginals are alcoholics) Prejudice is a belief: often based on stereotypes – it divides groups into categories of inferiority and superiority (anti-Semitism) Discrimination acting on your prejudice (a young black man getting turned down a promotion in favour a white man)

  2. Unlearning & Ending Prejudice • Psychological & Sociological Theories • Educational Strategies • What we can do NOW

  3. Cognitive Dissonance The theory was developed by psychologist Leon Festinger in 1957. The most favoured theory of belief and behavioural change. Definition: People try to avoid conflicts between what they think and what they do.

  4. Cognitive Dissonance • Example: Sam Smith is out with his friends at the mall. They see two men walking together holding hands. Sam’s friends yell out at the men, “Fags!”. Sam then follows suit. • However, Sam was taking the HSB 4M0 course in high school and was learning about prejudice & discrimination in class. • He was starting to understand that it is wrong to judge other people based on their differences. Yet, he still committed an act of Hate speech.

  5. Cognitive Dissonance • However, this act made Sam very uncomfortable/upset and he may try to avoid conflict. He may stop attending his HSB course thereby avoiding the lecture on prejudice & discrimination • In this case, Sam is experiencing dissonance – his action/behaviour conflicted with a belief. • What can Sam do to resolve this dissonance?

  6. Cognitive Dissonance to Cognitive Consistency • Sam can resolve this conflict by changing his behaviour. • Not make hurtful comments, attend class to learn more about prejudice and discrimination, … • Once Sam does this, he will reach “cognitive consistency”, the state in which are are beliefs are “in sync” with our behaviours and we lead a more happy and satisfied life.

  7. Inter-group Cooperation • Term coined by sociologists M. Sherif and L.J. Harvey • Conducted a study known as the “Robber’s Cave” to determine if prejudice can be unlearned.

  8. Robber’s Cave – Part I • 2 groups of 11 yr old white middle class boys were segregated at a camp • They conducted all activities such as swimming, hiking, canoeing, within their own groups • Then the groups were brought together to have athletic competitions • What was the result?

  9. The Robber’s Cave • The 2 groups immediately disliked each other. • Escalation: fighting occurred on and off the athletic field, cabin-break-ins, vandalism, and theft

  10. The Robber’s Cave – Part II • The researchers tested whether they could get the boys to unlearn the prejudice that has been created. • They created a number of emergency situations and then assigned cooperative inter-group teams to solve them. • Result: The boys from both teams had formed many inter-group friendship – they unlearned their previous prejudice. • Problems with this study?

  11. Educational Strategies • In keeping with the Robber’s Cave experiment, social psychologist Elliot Aronson identified similar tensions in classrooms. • Classrooms were competitive environments in which students were struggling with one another for a chance to gain recognition

  12. Jigsaw Cooperative Learning • Aronson decided that learning would need to be restructured in a more cooperative way, based on mixed teams made up of different ethnic groups. • He believed that this would help eliminate prejudice by maximizing student equality

  13. Jigsaw Cooperative Learning • Each member of a team becomes an “expert” on a different section of a particular topic. • Each group of students must then cooperate as a team to learn the whole topic. • He found that within 8 weeks, prejudice was reduced.

  14. Discussion about Prejudice • Aboud, Tatum, and Allport all agreed that children at the age of four, should be taught about prejudice and discrimination. • Why? • According to Piaget’s theory of cognitive childhood development, this is the age when children become aware of ethnic differences

  15. What can we do NOW? • refuse to laugh at racist or sexist jokes • refuse to see movies, read books, play video games or participate in actives that promote violence or discrimination against certain groups • confront your friends or peers who express prejudiced or discriminatory beliefs • confront prejudice in schools by working with a diverse group of people

  16. Most Importantly Self-reflect, realise, and understand your own biases and prejudices – we all have them! EDUCATE!!

  17. Helpful Resources • Pamphlet entitled, “101 Ways To Combat Prejudice”. Available for download at: www.adl./org/prejudice/closethebook.pdf Kids Help Phone: www.kidshelpphone.ca

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