Stereotypes in Communication - Essay Example

Prejudice and Stereotypes in Communication Introduction In this paper, we try to examine the stereotypes in communication by examining the actual definition of prejudice in detail, as well as implicit biases. Moreover, we try to examine the similarities and differences between these two elements and the actual targets of prejudice and explicit prejudice. Defining Prejudice According to the classical definition of prejudice as defined by Gordon Allport, prejudice is an unfavorable or favorable feeling towards a thing or a person which is not based or prior to the actual experience with that person. While prejudice can be positive as well as negative, a lot of emphasis is placed on the prejudice of a negative nature. The current definition of the prejudice has been derived from Allport’s definition, the contemporary definition believes in the additional role of the stereotypic behavior in prejudice as well. For example, airports run a double security check on people of color in doubts that they might be carrying drugs with them, just because they have caught one or two colored people before. In this way, they automatically stereotyped an entire race of being drug smugglers over the action of one or two individuals. Through this, the airport security elicits negative behavior at the entire race. Consequences of Prejudice According to a lot of recent studies, there have been prominent consequences of the prejudiced behavior in the daily life, few of which examples include: Women in the field of sciences are less preferred as compared to men with similar qualifications People with African-American names get less interview calls and employment opportunities as compared to people with proper American names African Americans are stereotypically biased as violent criminals Elders are prejudiced in a manner that younger people sympathize with them and try to avoid them on a general basis African women are given jobs that are average. You will see African American nurses, but very rarely you will find doctors in the same field. Five-Phase Model of Prejudice Act According to Allport (Tan, 2014), there are five phases when it comes to displaying prejudice. These phases are briefed as following: 1. Antilocution Antilocution is the phase of prejudice when someone talks negatively about a person, in a specific group. For example, calling studious people nerds, just because others think that they are too serious all the time to have a real social life. Antilocution maintains and reinforces prejudice, so that there is an increase in resistance when it comes to changing the algorithm. 2. Avoidance Avoidance is a special treatment through which an individual goes to difficult lengths in order to ignore the person they have prejudice against. For example, a white female will try to avoid neighborhoods which are saturated with colored people. While the person avoiding something is not causing a direct harm, he will still be previewed as eliciting negative feelings towards a specific target of prejudice. 3. Discrimination Discrimination is the third phase of prejudice, where people deliberately leave the targeted person out of their activities just because they hold a prejudiced feeling towards them. Discrimination can be on the basis of age, ethnicity, religion, gender and even race. For example, Muslims complain that they are victimized in the developed country as being discriminated for the crimes of the few. 4. Physical Attack This phase of prejudice is dangerous. In this phase, individuals or a group of people try to hurt other people physically whom they feel negative prejudice for. These physical attacks are classified as hate crimes, and they can be fatal sometimes as well, for the prejudiced individuals lash back in revenge. 5. Extermination This phase of prejudice is an extreme form of destruction. In this phase, mostly the targets are based on racial or religious discrimination. The most popular example of this phase is when Hitler tried to eradicate the Jews by murdering more than six million people on the basis of their religion. Extermination is mostly carried out by governments and larger organizations, but it begins mostly with the individual mindset. Concept 1: Putting Social Identity Theory in Practice In order to understand the current threats, conflicts and difficulties of our human society, one does not need to look anywhere than the headlines of any news channel or paper. While we call humans as an evolution of their primitive beings, we are still engaged in the acts of intolerance and brutality of war. We sometimes participate in the similar acts of biasing against race and gender discrimination voluntarily or involuntarily. In spite of the fact that Latinos have had a longstanding vicinity in U.S. media, in the principle these pictures have been occasional and described by their cliché and unfavorable nature (Mastro & Behm-Morawitz, Latino representation on primetime television, 2005). As of late, nonetheless, the surge of diagram garnish Latino celebrities for example, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira close by the gigantic achievement and prevalence of Latino Major Association Baseball players, for example, Yadier Molina and Miguel Cabrera have prompted what numerous in the prevalent press have termed a "Latin blast" in U.S. standard media. One essential upshot of this developing perception can be seen in the improved open door for group of on-looking individuals to view the ability whats more, accomplishments of Latinos in a media situation for the most part bereft of such representation (Ramírez Berg, 2002). Taking into account the suppositions of social character hypothesis, such presentation is especially significant as utilization of positive depictions can possibly decidedly impact view of both self and other for Latino (in-gathering) and white (out-gathering) customers, separately. In that capacity, the present two-study outline examines this relationship by tentatively inspecting the impacts of both media presentation and racial/ethnic distinguishing proof on impression of self and other among Latino and white gatherings of people. Concept 2: Media and the Social Identity-Based Processes Social identity theory places that a bit of ones thought toward oneself is reliant on the significance furthermore, significance put on the gathering membership(s) to which an individual has a place. The theory proposes that peoples drive for constructive identity and regard impacts the social examinations they make. Specifically, amass/classification examinations that stress bunch uniqueness for ones in-group over an important out-group are favored. As a result, when a specific gathering gets to be remarkable, the highlights connected with that gathering guide ones disposition and practices. Therefore, contrasts crosswise over gatherings are highlighted and inconsistencies inside classifications are trivialized. This procedure is clarified all the more completely inside game plan toward oneself theory. This methodology helps in the upkeep of thought toward oneself and regard nearby expanding trust in existing discernments by giving backing through agreement. As anyone might expect, the craving to keep up constructive in-group status is improved by the individual pertinence of the specific in-group to ones identity such that the more prominent the level of distinguishing proof one has with an in-group (i.e., race/ethnicity), the more roused one will be to secure the status and hobbies of that gathering (Verkuyten & Brug, 2004). Obviously, this kind of social correlation transform frequently brings about generalization based correlations. There is a contention that in-group/out-group qualifications ordinarily comprise of master in-group predisposition instead of hostile to out-group inclination, and subsequently actually when out-group individuals are seen emphatically, in-group individuals are seen and treated even all the more emphatically. While not highlighted straightforwardly here, this statement recommends that in spite of the fact that individuals regularly search out jolts that prompts more great view of ones in-group, good representations of out-group individuals can, indeed, advance general uplifting state of mind about the gathering. Therefore, while individuals are roused to keep up qualifications between their in-gathering and the out-gathering, that does not so much keep these people from creating constructive impressions of the out-group. In reality, discoveries in the area of media impacts for the most part bolster this conflict; on the other hand, the definite way of the relationship is hazy. From one viewpoint, examination recommends that presentation to positive media pictures can move forward lions share gathering parts state of mind about minority out-groups (Schiappa, Gregg, & Hewes, 2005) along a mixed bag of results running from general backing and positive judgments to sensitivity with respect to issues of separation. Then again, the discoveries in this space moreover demonstrate that when presented to positive depictions of minorities (i.e., blacks) white buyers report more ideal assessments of minorities, yet ascribe these positive results to outside or situational variables instead of the inside/individual attributes of the out-gathering. In addition, results from Mastro, Tamborini, and Hullett (2005) propose that, to a degree, positive between gathering results in view of media presentation are dependent upon the degree to which the media delineations of race/ethnicity (actually when positive) oblige lions share bunch standards and disposition. Consequently, the nature of the relationship between presentations to positive pictures of out-gathering individuals furthermore, between gathering results requires further investigation. Still, the suggestion is clear: devouring great portrayals of race/ethnicity ought to create more good racial/ethnic judgments about that bunch among out-gathering individuals. In general, while media depictions of out-gathering models may lead in-gathering individuals to see these media personas as models for that gathering, this de-personalization process may really advance more extensive positive impressions of the significant out-gathering. The relationship between media introduction and between gathering results is further played out when it goes to the medias part in making regularly held standards and traditions. In place for between gathering correlations to work, the similar measurement must be perceived by both in-gathering and out-gathering individuals (Turner & Reynolds, 2003). As it were, the purpose of examination is not only the gathering itself (e.g., sex, race, and so forth.), it is the important measurement in the prompt setting. Therefore, by advancing certain representations (which offer specific parts of gatherings) and overlooking others, the media assume a part in making imparted standards and initiating the utilization of these builds in resulting assessments (Harwood & Roy, 2005). Specifically, media messages can possibly: (1) Impact the significance/pertinence of, and capacity to prime, distinctive gathering enrollments; (2) Add to viewers observations about the highlights/measurements that portray distinctive gatherings; (3) Give standards of treatment for diverse gatherings; (4) Characterize the status and remaining of distinctive gatherings; and at last (5) Standardize these thoughts by recommending that media representations are acknowledged on a consensual premise. For buyers, then, the particular highlights/gathering measurements connected with distinctive gatherings in the media are of import. In particular, the requirement for quality portrayals of ones in-gathering seems, by all accounts, to be so essential that gatherings of people may effectively dismiss and select media content keeping in mind the end goal to oversee social identity needs and secure view of gathering imperativeness (Abrams & Giles, 2007). Obviously, for whites, positive media delineations are promptly accessible over a mixture of media classifications and sorts (as many years of substance logical exploration substantiate). The same cant be said for media portrayals of Latinos, which have long been discovered to be both rare and to a degree cliché (Mastro & Behm-Morawitz, 2005). In like manner, the late upsurge in pictures of fruitful Latinos in the music business and in Real League baseball is especially important as these positive media pictures give all the more avowing portrayals of Latinos in a media domain to a great extent truant of positive depictions. It is vital to recognize that while positive portrayals of Latino competitors and musical artists ought to, generally speaking, help advance more positive impressions of this gathering, these depictions can likewise add to winning generalizations connecting remarkable minority superstars to their "execution" instead of astuteness (Valdivia, 2010). Be that as it may, despite the fact that these representations may strengthen certain clichéd discernments, those famous people/performers depicted positively (e.g., extolled for their accomplishments, advanced instead of scrutinized) are likely additionally saw by viewers as effective and having various attractive characteristics. Specifically, former examination proposes that the viable utilization of big name endorsers underscores how these people serve as a typical reference aggregate one wishes to try to (Lafferty, Goldsmith, & Newell, 2002). Furthermore, earlier studies have demonstrated that viewer association with decently enjoyed minority famous people might be connected with more mindful wellbeing choices. Research additionally recommends that whites introduction to extraordinary and decently enjoyed famous people (i.e., Michael Jordan) is connected to diminished segregation also, more good general disposition toward outgroup individuals. At last, while presentation to models who are less connected with physical execution (e.g., teachers) could preferably deliver more great state of mind toward Latinos while likewise expanding counter stereotypical convictions, it would likely not be demonstrative of more "standard media" Latino models portrayed most commonly on screen. By and large, in this connection, media utilization ought to give the essential components to additional propitious intergroup practices, in any event along a specific arrangement of highlights. Summary and Conclusion Prejudice is an unfavorable or favorable feeling towards a thing or a person which is not based or prior to the actual experience with that person. Prejudice can be on multiple levels, one person can feel negative about another person, a group can feel negative about another group, and an organization can feel negative about another organization. The problems that are caused by racism and prejudice affect all of us and belong to all of us. By causing problems and negativity towards one specific group, we cause a hindrance for solving it in the first place. In order to solve the stereotypes in communication, we need to take a positive approach towards the eradication of prejudice. This is possible as described in the example above; by displaying positive feelings towards the group that is being prejudiced, we can begin the process of countering the stereotype at the ground level. Targets for prejudice include the minorities such as people of color, queer community and the senior citizens. The problems of prejudice are alarming, as they are leading to mass negativity such as hatred against a specific religion is causing bloodshed all over the world. The Muslim extremists are murdering non-Muslims all because they do not share the faith, whereas the non-Muslims are now criticizing all the Muslims for the action of the few, some being as rash as killing them. These events are becoming problematic not only for the local government, but for international governments as well. All of these problems point back to prejudice and its branches. If we have to eradicate the prejudice, then we will have to ensure that we start with the change at the root level and make sure that any mass media or external stimulus works at the positive influence of prejudice rather than a negative influence. We need to ensure that our Media is promoting the rights of the unprotected and more prone to prejudice, rather than flaming the fuel. Through little changes at a time, we can achieve greatness. References Abrams, J., & Giles, H. (2007). Ethnic identity gratifications selection and avoidance by African Americans: A group vitality and social identity gratifications perspective. Media Psychology, 115-134. Harwood, J., & Roy, A. (2005). Social identity theory and mass communication research. In J. Harwood, & H. Giles (Eds.), Intergroup Communication (pp. 189-211). New York, NY: Peter Lang. Lafferty, B. A., Goldsmith, R. E., & Newell, S. J. (2002). 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The social identity perspective in intergroup relations: Theories, themes, and controversies. In R. Brown, & S. Gaertner (Eds.), Blackwell handbook of social psychology: Intergroup processes (pp. 133-152). Malden, MA: Blackwell Press. Valdivia, A. N. (2010). Latino as in the Media. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Verkuyten, M., & Brug, P. (2004). Multiculturalism and group status: The role of ethnic identification, group essentialism and protestant ethics. European Journal of Social-Psychology, 647-661. Read More