What is Prejudice?

Social Influence – Prejudice

In this course, Dr Juliet Wakefield (Nottingham Trent University) discusses prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination. In the first lecture, we look at a definition of these three concepts. In the second lecture, we explore some social psychological explanations for prejudice, focusing in particular on the ‘authoritarian personality’ and realistic conflict theory. In the third lecture, we think about a classic study exploring the latter – Sherif’s Robbers Cave study. Next, we focus on social identity theory as a way of explaining how ingroup-outgroup dynamics can serve to fuel prejudice. In the fifth lecture, we think about a specific target of prejudice by considering sexism or gender discrimination. In the sixth and final lecture, we look at the potential effects of stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination on those targeted and their wider communities.

What is Prejudice?

In this lecture, we introduce stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination, focusing in particular on: (i) a definition of stereotyping being ‘an exaggerated, often negative view of people who are not like us’; (ii) Fiske and Taylor’s cognitive miser theory as an attempt to explain why people stereotype others; (iii) the difference between overt and covert prejudice; (iv) how the latter can be measured using the implicit association test; (v) Allport’s research on prejudice; (vi) how it can lead to discrimination.