Social psychology: Understanding stereotype and prejudice (Part 2/4)

Compiled by Oviya.E

This webinar conducted by Empower People is a continuation of the first part conducted on October 17^th. Ms Sumati talks on how social psychology affects our lives.

She starts the session with a question. Can we be victims of stereotyping and not even recognise it?

1. The case of single people:

   Our society associates certain traits with people who are not married mostly young people and some traits with those who are married.

For example, characteristic traits like independent, lonely, self- centered and immature are some of the traits associated with single people. Traits like mature, stable, kind, happy and loving are associated with married people.

Characteristic traits are meant to deal with an individual and their mentality. Being single or married doesn’t have a say on it. The reason for this inequality not being protested against is the lack of awareness.

The next question she talks about is “why do we form stereotypes?”

The following are the reasons:

·        Schemes

·        A sense that we can predict other’s behaviour

·        They can help us feel positive about our own group identity in comparison to other social groups.

·        Selective attention-conformation bias

·        Subtypes to protect old schemes.

Next, she questions if stereotypes will ever change. Stereotyping will be stable as long as the nature of the intergroup relationship that exists between the groups is stable.

She then speaks of prejudice and feelings toward social groups. There are some important findings based on prejudice.

·        Essences-often, some biologically based feature that distinguishes that group from another serves as a justification for their differential treatment.

·        Prejudice is also based on different emotions.

This session clearly defines the reasons that allow prejudice to prevail in our society.