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5 Important Theories of Prejudice
5 Important Theories of Prejudice
The Jews were made the victim of prejudicial aggression of other outgroups because
some of their characteristics were not acceptable to the outgroups. This attitude is not rational
and hence uncritical.
Criticism:
As per the well earned reputation theory, first, one has to know the objectionable characteristics
of a group or nation through first hand contact so that it will lead to negative attitude.
But Bogardus made a pioneer study in America on the order of preference of different
nationalities by the Americans.
Result showed that the people of oriental nations, like Japan and India were put at the
bottom of social distance scale. This indicates that the Americans showed prejudice to certain
nationalities with whom they have no first hand immediate contact.
This theory, therefore, does not rationally explain the causes of prejudice. Rather it is not
because of firsthand experience, but because of unfamiliarity and lack of direct contact of the
Americans with Japanese and Indian nationalities.
According to this theory, when a person is frustrated too much, he displaces the hostility
to a minority group. The minority or socially disapproved group is conveniently chosen as the
target of attack.
In Nazy Germany, in the similar way, Jews were made the target of hostility and Scape-
goats because they were thought to be the trouble makers of Germany. Similarly, Britain, France
were chosen as the scape goaters after their attack to Egypt.
Criticisms:
Apparently this theory seems to be exciting but just like the other theory it has some weaknesses.
(i) Why a particular group is made the target of attack out of many? This fact has not been
explained by this theory.
(ii) The scape goat theory holds that the majority group has some prejudice towards the minority
group. But the fact that the minority group also shows prejudice towards the majority group, is
not explained by this theory.
But the social aspect of prejudice from age to age indicates that it is a social phenomena.
The conflict aspect of prejudice is based on economic, political or religious consideration, which
may motivate a person to be aggressive, displace his aggression and become prejudiced towards
the outgroup.
The convergence theory has tried to explain the persistence of prejudice. But some
psychologists pointed out that the convergence theory over-emphasizes the conflict aspect of
prejudice and fails to take note that prejudice is the product of social learning which starts from
early childhood of an individual.
Secondly, they say that instead of considering the individual aspect of the prejudice as
emphasized by the scape goat theory, the convergence theory takes note of group frustration to
explain the underlying causes of prejudice. The convergence theory completely ignores the
individual dynamics which constitute the group.
All port in his Kurt Lewin Memorial address remarked that sources of prejudice have
been taken to be by some to belong to individual psychology. He says that prejudice is a function
of collective group structure and cannot be understood as personality dynamics.
Inspite of the diverse theories developed, all these discussions lead one to conclude safely
that the underlying causes of prejudices are multidimensional.