Stereotypes and Prejudice as Barriers

Chapter 4

Does stereotyping & prejudice impede

communication? If so, how?

What effect do media stereotyping & prejudice

have on face-to-face communication?

How can communication deal with stereotyping &

prejudice?
 Stereotypes and Prejudice as Barriers

Stereotype: negative or Prejudice: the irrational

positive judgments made suspicion or hatred of a
particular group, race,
about individuals on the religion, or sexual
basis of their membership. orientation.
Mistakes our brains make A highly prejudiced
in the perception of other individual is identified as
people that are similar to authoritarian personality.
those mistakes our brains S/he tends to overgeneralize,
make in the perception of thinks in bipolar terms, and
visual illusions. uncritical of higher authority.
Asian Americans Groups have experienced
prejudice in the U.S.: African-
Americans, Irish immigrants, &
Jewish immigrant.
 Case Studies of Prejudice
Roma: Experienced prejudice and discrimination as
“Gypsy”
Migrated from India to Persia and then Europe.
Were persecuted by Nazi Germany.
• Remembrance of Holocaust is central to Roma identity

Japan & Korean: Japanese-born Koreans are the

victims of social, economic, and political prejudice.

United States: minority groups are disproportionately

represented in media (Hispanics, American Indians,
Asian-Americans, women, elderly, poor, disabled)
 Criticism of How the Press
Portrays Minorities
Harmful stereotyping
Ignorance of Cultural Differences
Use of racially biased or insensitive
language
Double standard
Failure to photograph or quote minorities
Lumping all Hispanics, or Asian Americans
together
 Racism
Any policy, practice, belief, or attitude that
attributes characteristics or status to individuals
based on their race.
Racism involves not only prejudice but the
exercise of power over individuals based on their
race.
Racism can be either conscious or unconscious,
intentional or unintentional (Van Dijk, 1987).
Racism appears in songs, insults, malicious humor,
employments ads, advertising with European-looking
models.
Why Does Prejudice Continue?
Socialization: Prejudices are learned
Social Benefits: May gain support from
group if you support their views.
Economic Views: Prejudice may be strong
when there is direct competition for jobs.
Psychological Benefits: False sense of
superiority & simple answers to complex
questions (“they are to blame.”)
 Hate Speech & Hate Crime
Hate speech: includes
threats or verbal slurs
directed against specific
groups or physical acts.
For example, burning
crosses or spray-painting
swastikas on public or
private property (Walker,
1994)
Hate speech is prohibited in
Australia, Britain,
Germany, and New
Zealand.
Hate Crimes: Stems from a
fear of differences and
results in hostility toward
people considered different.
Assaults against those who
are different because of
their race, religion, sexual
orientation, or ethnicity.
According to FBI report
most hate crimes are related
to race.
Since Banning Hate Is Unconstitutional
in the USA, What Can We Do?
Establish cultural norms against hate
speech.
Present a more balanced picture of minority
life in the media