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Assignement 3
Assignement 3
ethnocentrism
prejudice
stereotype
discrimination
cognitive dissonance
Stereotypes
Stereotypes are usually defined as fixed, rigid and oversimplified
generalizationz of group traits, reflective of the stereotyper`s underlying
prejudices or other internal motivations. Looking at the etymology, we see
that the term derives from the Greek stereos, meaning firm, solid and
typos, impression, hence solid impression. A stereotype was originally a
solid printing mould or plate which, once cast, was difficult to change. The
meaning of the word evolved and Walter Lippmann was the first to define
Stereotype as a distorted picture or image in a person`s mind, not based
on personal experience, but derived culturally.
Discrimination
While prejudice is an attitude and refers to biased thinking, discrimination
has a concrete and material facets as consists of actions against a group
of people.
Some United Nations conventions define discrimination as any
distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour,
descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of
nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal
footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political,
economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life. From this
definition, discrimination is a phenomenon beyond the individual action,
having its source at societal level. Unfortunatelly discrimination can not be
abolished by enacting conventions, laws and despite all the juridical acts
forms of discrimination can be easily identified, in forms more or less
veiled, in everyday life. Forms of discrimination are so widespread that we
may governments have created specialized bodies to deter discrimination
and set severe penal sanctions in their efforts to diminish the
discriminatory practices at all levels. Discrimination is a very complex
issue indeed and I will not develop here all its facets but sometimes even
the rules set for fighting against discrimination have their perverse effect
and cause other kind of indirect forms of discrimination and adversely
affect their reference group. I only mention for a further development
maybe the complexity of the positive discrimination (positive mesures)
whose aim is to foster greater equality and reduce specific disadvantages
but that in practice has its discriminatory effects.
Cognitive dissonance
The theory of cognitive dissonance was formulated by Leon Festinger and
since then a lot of paradigms were developed and applied in social
psychology, particularly regarding how rewards influence attitudes and
behaviou, and how behaviour and motivation influence perception and
cognition. The main idea of Festinger`s theory is that if a person holds two
cognitions that are inconsistent with one another, he will face the pressure
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How can prejudice and/or racism help a group or person feel more
comfortable about other cultures?
Paraphrasing Allport, we criticize all the time our daily routine, get bored
of the same rituals, habits, people we see every day but, in the same
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This tendency is called din social science intergroup bias and refers
generally to the systematic propensity of evaluating the members of our
in-group more favourably than the members of an out-group. Bias can
encompass behaviour (discrimination), attitude (prejudice), and cognition
(stereotyping) and the main tendencies are favouritism (in-group) and
derogation (out-group). It is always true that valuating the own group does
not translate always by hostility or hate against the other but it seems
ingrained in human nature. Embracing the group norms, joining the likes
and dislikes commonly shared, letting dissolve a part of the own identity
in the social identity, seeking the acceptance are ways of finding your way
and constructing a sense of belonging that helps individuals to attenuate
the pressure of being alone.
false conceptions become true and this way is perpetuating the reign of
error.
3. It's dark in here isn't it?" She replied, "I don't know; I can't
see."
And I can continue with even more or less funny, derogatory, sexist jokes
about blonde women. We all know that jokes are a good way of breacking
the ice and we all laugh or at least smile when listening a good one. Even
if they are full of stereotypes, sometimes awfully deameaning we have fun
if they are a witty ones. We have made at least once a similar joke and
reinforced this way a stereotype but not necessarily with a bad intention
or because we are mean people or because I take pleasure in damaging
the image or hurting someone. We have just done it without any negative
thought back to our mind.
One can say that jokes about blondes are one of the most inoffensive
stereotypes; they are so common, and not only in jokes; movies, media,
toys, TV shows portreyed them as stupid, superficial, narcissistic, low on
intelligence, the worst drive women;
(Police officer: "Can you identify yourself, Madam?" She pulls out her
mirror and says: "Yes, it's me."); they are considered to be sexy, thinking
only of sex etc. This image is very popular and the misogynous narative
tradition feels at home. Adhering to the stereotypes makes us part of the
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