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Stereotype and Discrimination

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Stereotype and Discrimination

Many social psychologists have long been interested in prejudice, stereotypes, and
discrimination in the United Kindom and worldwide. In this paper, I will clarify the notions of bias,
stereotypes, and discrimination and share examples from my own experiences. Second, I will
discuss how bias and stereotyping have their genesis in social, cognitive, and societal settings.
Finally, I will go through some of the factors that contribute to stereotyping and the steps that
can be taken to counteract it. I hope that we can better understand how to classify individuals
because improperly classifying people can have disastrous implications for everyone involved,
even though prejudices, stereotypes, and discrimination are all varied and complex with their
unique challenges.

First, I believe it is critical that we have a clear knowledge of the terminology used
repeatedly in this work, such as bias, discrimination, and stereotype. Discrimination is the first of
these concepts. Discrimination is described as "negative behaviour against individuals or groups
based on beliefs and sentiments about those groups" in Jennifer Feenstra's textbook,
Introduction to Social Psychology (Feenstra, 2011). Stereotypes are the second word we need
to know. Feenstra describes stereotypes as "beliefs about the characteristics of particular
groups or members of those groups" (Feenstra, 2011). My Puerto Rican acquaintance, for
example, believes that all Mexicans are cheap. Instead of being a fact, it is her opinion. She
feels that all Mexicans are inferior, which means that she is making generalisations about the
entire ethnic group. Prejudice is the third most crucial word we need to understand. When we
talk about prejudice, we mean "Negative sentiments against individuals because of their
membership in a specific group" (Feenstra, 2011). If, for example, I had the impression that
everyone in the chess club was more intelligent than me, which made me feel inferior, it would
be an example of bias towards that particular group of people. An individual's ingroup is the
group to which they belong. Christ Lutheran Church is one of my ingroups, but I can relate to
the phrase "ingroup." Various facets of a person's life and culture can form an ingroup. An
ingroup can include your race, gender, where you live, and any groups you belong to, such as a
church or a chess club, that you are a member of. A person can be a member of an ingroup and
an outgroup at the same time. For example, I am not a resident of Manchester; hence that is
one of my many outgroups because I am not a member. There are innumerable examples of
bias, discrimination, and stereotyping directed at individuals based on their group membership
or the possession of particular qualities. It's critical to remember that a person's affiliation with a
specific organisation does not define who they are as a person.
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More than being discriminated against or having a group of individuals have prejudices
against me, I can identify more strongly with being stereotyped in the social realm. It has been
assumed that I am lazy due to my weight. People don't realise, however, that I suffer from
rheumatoid arthritis, which makes it incredibly difficult for me to engage in regular physical
activity. However, doctors and others who talk before they know the reality have characterised
me as indolent because of my weight. I have no biases or prejudices when it comes to race
because I was raised in a home where both my parents were racist towards African-Americans.
However, my 74-year-old grandmother is biassed against the blacks and avoids them
everywhere she can because she grew up in a segregated area. I have talked to her about this
and informed her that she is missing out on excellent people and long-lasting friendships
because she's prejudicing them. Even those willing to adjust and adapt may not always be
willing to do so. I believe that being stereotyped, discriminated against, or having someone or a
group of people have prejudices against you may be an uncomfortable experience for the
majority of individuals, no matter how tiny the instance may be.

We need to comprehend the roots of prejudice and stereotypes to understand better

how and why they developed. Prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination have their roots in our
society for many reasons, according to our textbook. Several elements can be attributed to how
we process information in our minds. All these processes lead to generalisations about other
people that don't take into consideration the individual's individuality" (Feenstra, 2011). We can
save time and effort by categorising people. Since we've used categories for so long, we rely on
them when making future judgments.

Stereotypes, discrimination, and prejudice are rooted in more than simply the way our
brains process information; they are also a product of the environment we live in. We may trace
prejudice back to the social norms, competition, and inequality we encounter daily that shape
our perspectives. Stereotypes are common in all human cultures since categorising is a
spontaneously helpful skill (Feenstra, 2011). Prejudice and stereotypes have their roots in the
particular customs and social groupings they are apart from. Stigmata are passed down from
generation to generation by our peers, who teach us what is and isn't acceptable in terms of
social norms. The way we view paedophiles is an example of a social standard. We have a bias
against that group since society expects us to act.

Discrimination, stereotyping, and prejudice are all made more accessible by grouping
people together into stereotypes. Perceiving that there are groups is the first step in making
judgments about those groups. Stereotypes and prejudice have long been associated with
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categorising people (Allport, 1954). Categorization is a human convenience that makes it

possible to deal with massive amounts of data (Feenstra, 2011). Understanding ingroup bias
and the homogeneity impact of the outgroup are critical components of categorization theory.
Those who exhibit "the tendency to show preferential treatment toward members of one's
group" are said to exhibit ingroup favouritism (Feenstra, 2011). A dodge ball team might have
members from my Lutheran church and members from a Catholic church, and if I required
people to play on my dodge ball team, I would choose people from my church, one of my
ingroups when selecting my team members. However, "Members of outgroups, groups in which
an individual does not participate, are perceived as more similar or homogenous." Members of a
group are perceived to be more diverse than those not in the group (Feenstra, 2011). Most
people believe that their group deserves better treatment than others. The ingroup partiality and
the outgroup homogeneity effect are widespread and reasonable, but both carry a certain
amount of risk. There is a lack of understanding that a person, or a group of people, is an
individual and a distinct person when you categorise them. People lose their individuality when
they are grouped. Individuals are sometimes lumped into categories or groups to which they do
not genuinely belong because we see and create unjustified comparisons based on superficial
similarities.

Competition for resources is something that occurs in every society. Prejudice can result
from competition. Competition for resources is prevalent when two groups are vying for
something, whether it's economic interests, political and military benefits, or even dangers to
their safety and status. People may become enraged if they believe they are competing with
another group or that the other group is stealing something they think they are entitled to.
People try to justify their bias by pointing to the system that happens as a source of the
perceived inequities. This is what our book says: "With this line of logic, people may argue that a
person's low socioeconomic level is due to undesirable attributes found in that racial group" (for
example, lack of intelligence or initiative). To hold such beliefs is rationalising and legitimising
stereotypes and bigotry (Fiske, 2001). According to researchers, people who have more
negative perceptions about the system are more likely to justify it (Feenstra, 2011). Prejudice
and stereotyping can be lessened by first understanding how and why they occur.

Competition for resources is, in my opinion, the most critical factor in our modern
civilization. We all want to rise to the top, and this competitiveness breeds resentment and
scepticism. For the past ten years, I have lived with my mother and sisters in a seven-building
apartment complex in our area. More Indians have been migrating to the United States in the
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last five years. Some have remarked that they believe that they are entitled to better positions
because they are white. I recently discussed my job search with the neighbour who lives above
us, and he told me that his wife had applied to the same place as me so that I would have stiff
competition. He went so far as to ask me to withdraw my application so that he and his wife may
pursue their dream. My outrage was tempered by understanding the pressure they were under
to compete for limited resources. The area has a shortage of jobs, and I've applied to more than
a dozen businesses and still haven't found a position. This kind of competitiveness seems to be
prevalent across the United Kingdom and not only in the employment market. My neighbor has
ignored me in the elevators and halls ever since we had that chat. I believe that God has a
better plan for me if I do not obtain the job. As a result, bigotry and anti-Semitism run rampant in
every corner of our country and the world.

Many factors, including our culture and society, encourage stereotyping. Because I am
21, I would be a stereotype if someone said that all 21-year-olds are careless and drinkers. One
of the misconceptions about my character stems from the fact that I'm part of a group of people
in their early twenties. Stereotypes abound as civilizations and cultures around the world differ
significantly. Prejudice reduction is of critical importance. Prejudice is defined as "negative
sentiments toward individuals based on their membership in a certain group" once more
(Feenstra, 2011). Prejudice can be lessened by first seeing how wrong it is and then working to
change it. When someone or another group has prejudices towards a person or group, it can
lead to depression and other mental health issues. Discrimination and stereotyping harms many
people, and those who have the false impression of others may lose their friendships and even
their future spouses. Discrimination victims may feel isolated and misunderstood. Everyone is
harmed in some way by this type of behaviour.

I believe that, in some ways, we are generating our self-fulfilling prophecies. Prophecies
individuals make about the behaviour of others that become self-fulfilling when the individual
who believes in them acts in a manner that causes the other person to follow suit are called
"self-fulfilling prophecies" in our book (Feenstra, 2011). As a result of those who "knew" they
would act in a certain way, a self-fulfilling prophecy is generated when a person has little choice
but to follow the expected course of action.

It is possible to modify our attitudes, behaviours, and judgments through several means.
People often make assumptions about others based on what they know or don't know about
them, and they hold unfavourable beliefs that have no basis. We should begin teaching children
at a young age that all individuals are the same and that no two persons are exactly alike, but
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that despite our differences on the outside, we are all fundamentally the same. This will help
reduce prejudice and discrimination in our society. When these youngsters grow up and have
children of their own, they will pass on the tradition to the next generation, ending the vicious
cycle we've been trapped in (Brinkman, 2010). Suppose we can bring together those who are
prejudiced against each other and those who hold stereotypes about each other to accomplish a
common purpose for the greater good. In that case, we will realise that their ideas about one
another were baseless, and they will have an improved understanding of each other.

Even to scratch the surface of the challenges raised by bias, stereotyping, and discrimination,
this paper would be an understatement. I believe that we can work together to overcome the
past and create a bright future if we clearly understand what we do to one another. An excellent
place to start is by working together and modeling that we are all the same for our children.
Discrimination, bias, and stereotyping can result from categorizing people to comprehend
enormous volumes of information better. In my opinion, it all begins with a single person. The
future may be changed so that no one has to suffer from stereotypes, discrimination, and
prejudice if we lead by example.
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References
Barwick, C. (2009). Patterns of discrimination against blacks and Hispanics in the US mortgage
market. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 25(1), 117-
124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10901-009-9165-x
Brinkman, B. G., Jedinak, A., Rosen, L. A., & Zimmerman, T. S. (2010). Teaching children
fairness: Decreasing gender prejudice among children. Analyses of Social Issues and
Public Policy, 11(1), 61-81. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-2415.2010.01222.x

Feenstra, J. (2011). Introduction to social psychology. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint

Education, Inc.