The difference between attitude formation, stereotyping and prejudice - Essay Example

?Identify the Difference between Attitude Formation, Stereotyping, and Prejudice The general concepts of prejudice, attitudes, and stereotypes have been much debated in the field of psychology and have not lost interest even now because these are very vast domains and still there is a possibility of much research. Stereotypes are thoughts or ideas which do not accurately coincide with reality and are loosely constructed assumptions on a particular subject. Prejudice is used to describe certain ill-suited or judgmental behavior directed towards a person or a group on grounds of social class, race, color, ethnicity, language etc. Recognized as the most diverse and indispensable concepts of social psychology, attitudes are open to multiples interpretations at different perceptual levels because so much is conveyed by them. Basically, this essay aims at scrutinizing the nature of relationships binding these three major different concepts. Moreover, many factors which make the existence of prejudice more emphatic in the society will be contemplated and then related to some strategies for the reduction of this belief/attitude. Both prejudice and attitudes relate to each other because while prejudice is a person’s tendency to evaluate an object in a negative light, an attitude is also a tendency to interpret an object by favoring or disfavoring it. The effects produced by attitudes on stereotypes and prejudices have been widely studied and it is thought that the most powerful of the three concepts is certainly attitude formation because it can both nurture a set of stereotypes and prejudices and also play an active role to eliminate them from the society. Though all prejudices, attitudes, and stereotypes go hand-in-hand but it is possible to see one concept overwhelmingly present in a society without others (Weiner & Craighead 2010: 1276). Prejudices are essentially negative, unhealthy, and unconstructive notions prevalent in a society, but stereotypes are less negative and attitudes can be positive or negative. For example, thinking of a community in disparaging terms due to not being able to associate with it is a negative attitude and trying to engage in community development due to availability of new prospects is a positive attitude. In contrast, prejudiced way of thinking destroys a society by weakening its roots and exposing its members to obnoxious challenges. They spread wrong messages misleading many and suffocating the victims. The occurrence of stereotypes, prejudices, and attitudes varies across societies, which suggests that their occurrence is drastically influenced by social structures. All three are different concepts but similarly influenced by social structures (Lindzey et al. 2003: 357). Some societies are made up of stereotypical ideas and depend on them for survival, while others go to any length to avoid them to ensure survival. Prejudices stem from a stereotypical mindset within a society and go on to create havoc in the world. Genocide is recognized as the ultimate example of violence against a certain group in a society (prejudice) because of lethal judgmental behavior of the majority based on a certain period (stereotype). On the other hand, it is stressed by Grobman (1990) that genocide like the Holocaust had its roots entrenched in both attitudes and prejudices which are negative behaviors. The Holocaust is the most researched and studied example of a genocide conducted on a mass level and studies suggest that this incident was a confluence of two streams, negative attitudes and strong prejudices aged by many years. The WWII itself was the not reason behind the Holocaust nor did it contribute to the occurrence of this event. It only played the role of an assistant effectively covering up the incident which involved genocide of as many as six million European Jews. It was actually the contribution made by many toxic and destructive attitudes and stereotypes (false beliefs) that the Holocaust occurred. It is claimed that that prejudiced violence of such historical importance only occurs when attitudes and stereotypes reach their extreme. Such unfortunate events arise from prejudice based on “ignorance, fear, and misunderstanding about minority groups” (Grobman 1990) which is stereotypical thinking and “other groups who are different from ourselves” (Grobman 1990) which indicates certain type of attitudes. Development of prejudiced notions in a society is characterized as a complex process and is a product of many factors. These factors can usually operate at four different levels namely personal, organizational, institutional, and structural. For example, personal factors contribute to prejudice when employers refuse to hire employees from other ethnic backgrounds and do not consider them equal to themselves. Organizational factors contribute to prejudice when workplaces discriminate against women by pushing them towards low-paying jobs and not trusting them with as much autonomy as enjoyed by men. Institutional factors of prejudice are appreciated when the government or law enforcement agencies do not attach any importance to correct negative behavior against racial minorities, women or any disadvantaged social class. Finally, structural factors can contribute to prejudice when some groups in society are more privileged than others having better access to employment and housing opportunities, while others with less recognition get clustered in disadvantaged parts of the society like ghettos. The commitment to reduce prejudice should proceed on all four levels and strategies should address all sources on equal basis. But because prejudice is a manifestation of attitudes, modification of behaviors first is a smart talent strategy. Such strategies can be best implemented if they include people suffering from prejudiced attitudes and granting them sufficient authority to bring change in the society. These strategies should also be implemented in the form of educational programs conducted at school level to start teaching children at an early age when they have highly impressionistic minds how to recognize prejudice and avoid it. In conclusion, general consensus within social psychology is that all three concepts discussed above are different, yet are closely connected. It is understood that prejudices and stereotypes are negative attitudes which feed on ill thoughts and misconceptions, while attitudes explain the way a person perceives his/her environment, people, and activities etc. It is assumed that a society should work against stereotypes from the beginning without tolerating their light versions deeming them nonviolent because prejudice is a manifestation of years long stereotypes. References Grobman, GM 1990, Stereotypes and Prejudices, [Online] Available at http://remember.org/guide/History.root.stereotypes.html [accessed: 25 November 2013]. Lindzey, G, Gilbert, D & Fiske, ST 2003, The Handbook of Social Psychology, 4th ed, Oxford University Press, USA. Weiner, IB & Craighead, WE 2010, The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology, Volume 3, 4th ed, John Wiley & Sons. Read More