Prejudice as Self-Image Maintenance: Affirming the Self Through Derogating Others - Case Study Example

Article One Task 1 The article examines stereotyping and prejudices effects on individuals and group wellbeing and effects at the organizational level. In the first study, the hypothesis states that self-affirmation should make the participants of the study less likely to evaluate another group. This hypothesis is derived from tendencies of the person to stereotype others borrows heavily from lack of self-affirmation from the perceivers and thus increase tendencies of prejudice. Study two hypothesis stated that participants should be more likely to display stereotyping of the apparent group (gay) if they had previous negative knowledge than if they had not. More importantly, the hypothesis borrows from the fact that for a stereotyping attitude to be developed there should be an initial negative image established in the mind about the group (Fein and Spencer 32). A gay perceived study participant offers an opportunity to study participant-stereotyping behavior. The third hypothesis from the last study suggested that negative stereotyping was a response from an individual or a group who had experienced a threatened self-image from an external source. This assumption borrows from the frustration-aggression theory that suggest that when a certain domain is under threat, a person will respond by guarding ego by projecting the threat to others through stereotyping and negative perception. Task 2 and 3 Dependent Variables and Measurement s The Independent Variables (IV) in the studies involve self-affirmation parameters. In order to establish self-affirmation, the study sought to measure personal self-image in relation to participants. In the first study, a seven-pointer scale that describe how a person felt about the person given to perceive. The seven points stated that the person believed that the study partner would make an excellent candidate for organization position in question. Finally, ethnicity and religion of the perceiver were noted after the completion of seven-point scale analysis (Fein and Spencer 39). The second study focused on sexual orientation stereotyping and personality as important DV. Manipulation of these DV was measured using 11-pointer scale that depicts stereotyping of gay persons by participants (Fein and Spencer 38). Besides, existence of prior knowledge is a dependent variable that determines how participants would perceive the alleged sexual orientation of the person in question. The third study focused on examining self-esteem or self-image at the face of a threat and how it influences stereotyping others. Using self-examination questionnaires as a tool of measuring DV, the study established that stereotyping seek to restore threatened self-image. The questionnaire offer analysis of self-image and impact on the stereotyping. The result indicated that those participants who had received lower self-image rating had increased stereotyping behavior of the Jew participants in the study. Task 4 The statistical method used in the entire study was Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). While measuring participant's self-image, self-affirmation, self-esteem and stereotyping dependent variables, the result was based on comparative of variance from the actual study participants and the control group. This statistical comparative study unravels difference in person's stereotyping in different circumstances (Fein and Spencer 39). Task 5 The study examines individual's self-esteem and discusses the role of stereotyping on self-image and motivation in personal behavior. In essence, the authors use three studies to demonstrate how studies have focused on the importance of self-image in maintenance processes and social wellbeing. One of the findings of this study identifies that most stereotyping attitudes are often negative. Using the stereotype minds about Black Americans, Lesbians, women, older people, gay and other groups, the authors describe this experience as negative image building that often disrupt personality growth. The article further identifies that motivation can play an incredible role in stereotyping and prejudice. Consequently, the authors note that studying individual's motivations may be an important parameter in determining whether they will stereotype others. With the three studies, the authors observe that when people form a stereotype in a group, they are likely to tag a negative stereotype. In addition, negative stereotype is recognized as an element that allows people engage my prejudicial judgment about others. Moreover, the article notes that the human behavior has been marred by stereotyping of individuals and groups. While the group may suffer negative image, the authors note that they may remain resistant to change to make perceivers feel bitter. Notably, the authors conclude that under appropriate conditions, the results of stereotyping help to restore a positive self-image of the perceivers. Therefore, engaging in stereotyping and prejudice can be a better way of making people feel better is psychosocial context. Task 6 The findings of the study are quite relevant at work place in three ways. Firstly, according to social theory, people value their groups more than any other. With increased work's frustration, a group may choose to stereotype others. With this study in mind, managers should strive to ensure group independence in performing of duties in order to avoid negative stereotyping in goals that requires synergistic efforts (Fein and Spencer 39). Evidently, although negative stereotyping has a positive self-image to the perceivers, this may not last. The employee relations full of stereotyping will have counter-productivity and kill teamwork due to tagging each other negative comments. In workplace, the existence of frustration displacement is often evident. Some task could be challenging, and colleagues tend to stereotype each other as incompetent in task execution. While this is common, many managers seem to rely on stereotype of groups and individuals in the allocation of duties. Understanding the findings of this study and relating it with frustration-aggression theory will help human resource managers to grow a culture where stereotyping would not influence person's ability and motivation (Fein and Spencer 41). Article 2 Task 7: Summary of the Article The article identifies that unlike many people beliefs, literature has shown that there is a loss of productivity and efficiency in firms that use face-to-face brainstorming session. Besides, those that use individual creativity are said to benefit more in terms of organizational creativity and efficiency of operations. In addition, the article identifies that initial psychological abstract relied so much on generalization that group brainstorming was more efficient than individual mind. While this has been a conclusion in a few researches, the article observes that researchers conducted between 1967-1994 indicate that group brainstorming is slow and ineffective in organizational, management. Notably, the article examines group brainstorming efficiency in terms of productivity and organizational creativity. The author notes that there is less creativity in organizations that adopt group brainstorming have less creativity in product designs, overhauling of business systems and improving manufacturing as compared to organizations that adopt individual creativity. Moreover, the literature review is consistent with the thesis of this article. Borrowing from Mullen, Salas and Johnson work 1991; it notes that there is productivity loss in-group of more than two when it comes to creativity. In essence, the article seeks to clarify the notion that has been widespread that claims group brainstorming is superior. As one of the greatest undoing of brainstorming, the article identifies that it encourages ideas auctioning and competition. It thus shifts focus to winners and losers, and that is how it becomes antagonistic to organizational creativity. Task 8 Unlike previous research in the field of brainstorming, this study focuses on four unique strategies. Firstly, the study focuses on knowledge growth and extension by making comparisons of various opposing conclusive studies. While the author seeks to shift the readers minds from hasty generalization on effectiveness of individual creativity than group brainstorming, the author sets out explorative study that allow inference about group brainstorming. Secondly, the study focuses on numerous strategies unlike previous studies that used one method of data collection either questionnaires or surveys (Sutton and Hargadon 685). This study used hybrid study method ranging from interviews of IDEO firm managers, informal discussions with managers and designers within the firm, watching video tapes, observing group brainstorming sessions and many other strategies. In using different methods of data collection, this research improves its credibility and thus ability to generalize the findings. Besides, this research focused on studying IDEO engineers. Certainly, this offers a wide range of information bearing in mind that engineering relies more on creativity innovation. While many initial studies focused on retail business, this study shifted focus to the hands-on skill job. Moreover, the study differed because it focused on multiple components within IDEO as the area of study. Many previous studies were limited to the scope of organizational parameters of the study. In addition, it adopted a comparative study strategy, where the effectiveness of group brainstorming was viewed simultaneously with the individual creativity productivity. Many studies had limited it to focusing on efficiency of group brainstorming (Sutton and Hargadon 689). Task 9 From the study, the benefits of quantities methods include reliability of the findings based on documented numerical strengths, simple to undertake and easy to interpret the findings. However, they are limited in description and prone to exaggerations. On the other hand, qualitative methods allow a precise description of the findings and captures comparatives in a descriptive manner. Additionally, qualitative studies are good when a researcher is interested in unraveling personal feelings and attitude about the issue under study. It offers a reflection of a wider client's response and describes the situation as they are, unlike quantitative study that focuses more on inferential statistics that could be misleading. However, they are less objective because descriptive words are based on the individual researcher choice. They are limited in objectivity and independence, unlike quantitative researches that can be reproduced. Task 10 The findings from this study on brainstorming can be substantially generalized because of its reliability and consistency. Firstly, the findings use multiple methods of collecting data ranging from surveys, interviews, observations among many others. Through this strategy, the perspective of IDEO managers, employees and actual brainstorming sessions in comparison with single person creativity can be measured and assessed (Sutton and Hargadon 691). Based on this, this research finds consistency of inefficiency of the group brainstorming in organizational creativity. Secondly, the findings can be generalized because it vividly describes how group brainstorming misses on creativity. Throughout the article, the author notes that groups are effective in solving employee's problems, but creativity and innovation is lost. This is because members often embark on displaying individual prowess in a particular field and leads to categorization of losers and winners. Many people will agree that this finding is sound. Credibility and reliability of this study was achieved from the multiplicity of organizational departments it examines, IDEO represents many organizations framework. At both management and technical work, the study finds inefficiency of the group brainstorming. The examination of the organization in totality allows for generalization to any other organizations with similar structures with IDEO. Works Cited Fein, S., and S. J. Spencer. "Prejudice as self-image maintenance: Affirming the self through derogating others." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 73.01 (1997): 31-44. Web. . Sutton, R. I., and A. Hargadon. "Brainstorming Groups in Context: Effectiveness in a Product Design Firm." (1996): 685-716. Print. Read More