On Stereotypes

Definition:

• An oversimplified mental image of some category of person (or institution or event) which is shared by a large numbers of people.
• Prejudice may accompany stereotypes.
• Premature, blind assignment to a social category without making sure all the character attributes apply.
• Usually involves negative attitudes.

Mechanisms:

1. Stereotypes allow cognitive and behavioral adaption to a complex environment.
2. Stereotypes are attitudes.
1. Cognitive component (categories.)
2. Motivational/ behavioral component (discrimination.)
3. Emotional component (prejudiced.)

The functions of stereotypes:

1. Individual functions.
1. Cognitive function equals social categorization.
1. Forms large classes and clusters for guiding daily adjustments.
2. Assigns material to the classes.
3. Enables us to quickly identify a related object.
4. The given class or category lends the same emotional and ideational  flavor to all it contains.
5. Categories maybe more or less rational.
2. Preservation of individual values.
1. Some categories are particularly value-laden.
2. These can lead to emotional and motivational adjustments.
3. Prejudice shows resistance to change. Ultimate attributions error is one mechanism which protects values from disconfirming evidence.
4. Allport (1954) study demostrates biased selection, accentuation, and interpretation of stimuli to protect values from disconfirmation.
5. Across group difference are perceived as greater than within group differences.
6. Other research suggests that prejudice individuals will usually error in the direction of assigning ambiguous stimulus persons to a negatively-valued out group than a positively valued in group.
2. Social functions.
1. Social causuality- the negative evaluated group is used to help in coping with and understanding distressful social events.
2. Justification of large scale social action against out groups.
3. Preservation of group identity in the face of erosion of boundaries.
1. Involves exaggeration or intensification of existing distinctions between in groups and out groups.
2. Also involves creation of new conditions to preserve and enhance psychological distinctiveness.
3. Response amplification- individuals react either more postively or more negatively to behaviors emitted by members of the outgroup.