One is ignored and excluded in the presence of others due to an extreme form of rejection. Creates a powerfully negative effect on psychological well-being and affects multiple domains on self-functionings. 

Ostracism 

Exerting dominance by a certain group that has social, cultural, economic, or ideological influence.


Hegemony 

There are many types of prejudice and discrimination in our society. Here are only some examples of such types, rather than an exhaustive list:

- Racism
- Sexism
- Ageism
- Homophobia and Transphobia

Types of Prejudice and Discrimination

An example of discriminatory behavior is when individuals holding prejudiced views against older adults actively exclude them from their social circles. This action is a direct result of negative stereotypes and attitudes toward that age group.

Example of Discrimination: Exclusion of Older Adults

A common form of positive bias is showing preferential treatment to individuals who are perceived as being similar to oneself. This favoritism can be based on shared group memberships such as gender, race, or even common interests like supporting the same sports team.

Example of Positive Bias: In-Group Preferential Treatment

While stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination are often discussed in terms of their negative manifestations, it's important to recognize that they can also be positive.
- **Stereotype (Thoughts)**: An overgeneralized belief about a group that can be positive, negative, or neutral.
- **Prejudice (Feelings)**: An attitude toward a group that can be positive (e.g., favoritism) or negative.
- **Discrimination (Behaviors)**: An action toward a group that can be positive (e.g., preferential treatment) or negative.

Positive and Negative Forms of Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

A manager at a software company is hiring a new project lead. The manager reviews several applications and thinks, "I've found that people who went to my old university are just better collaborators." Based on this situation, which of the following would represent an act of discrimination?

Discrimination is defined as an action or behavior towards an individual that results from their membership in a particular group. While typically discussed as a negative and oppressive act, such as exclusion, discrimination can also manifest positively through preferential treatment for individuals who are part of one's own group.

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Biased attitudes or feelings about a person or group based on preconceptions rather than prior experience.  

Prejudice

A stereotype is an overgeneralized belief or assumption about individuals based solely on their membership in a group, without regard for their individual characteristics. These beliefs are then applied broadly to all members of that group, ignoring individual differences.

Stereotype in Social Psychology

Interpersonal topics in social psychology pertain to the interactions and relationships involving dyads and groups. Key areas of study include helping behaviors, aggression, prejudice and discrimination, attraction and close relationships, as well as group and intergroup processes.

Interpersonal Topics in Social Psychology

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). APA Dictionary of Psychology. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/ 

APA Dictionary of Psychology

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Prejudice toward a person or group that the individual holds with conscious awareness. 

Explicit Prejudice

Discrimination in Social Psychology

Spreading deceptive and/or inaccurate information against female public figures such as political leaders and journalists to undermine their participation in public life. This is often supported by storylines that are based on misogyny and gender stereotypes around the roles of women. 

Gendered Disinformation 

The contact hypothesis suggests that prejudice between different groups can be reduced through positive intergroup contact. This includes not only direct interactions and building relationships but also educational efforts. The positive effects can even be achieved through imagined social interactions with members of other groups.

Contact Hypothesis

What is a stereotype in social psychology?

Which of the following best describes a stereotype in social psychology?

Which statement is true about stereotypes in social psychology?

Which of the following is an example of a stereotype in social psychology?

Prejudice often originates from stereotypes. A stereotype, which is a specific and frequently overgeneralized belief about a group, can serve as the cognitive basis for developing prejudice—a negative attitude or feeling toward individuals belonging to that group.

Stereotypes as a Foundation for Prejudice

An example of a stereotype is the overgeneralized belief that all older adults are slow and incompetent. This assumption is applied to the entire group, ignoring the fact that many individuals of advanced age are quick-witted and capable.

Example of a Stereotype: Beliefs about Older Adults

A prominent stereotype involves beliefs about racial differences in athletic ability, such as the notion that Black athletes are more athletic while being less intelligent than their White counterparts. This type of belief can negatively influence how athletes are treated and how they perceive their own capabilities, and it often persists even when contradicted by high-profile examples.

Example of a Stereotype: Racial Beliefs about Athletes

Within a given culture, stereotypes are typically widely known and understood. This means that even if an individual does not personally endorse a particular stereotype, they are generally aware of its existence and content as part of their cultural knowledge.

Cultural Awareness of Stereotypes

When encountering a stranger, individuals automatically process three key social categories: race, gender, and age. This cognitive shortcut occurs before assessing secondary characteristics like clothing or facial expressions. These primary categories provide a quick, though often stereotypical, basis for forming initial impressions and expectations about the person.

Automatic Processing of Social Categories in Person Perception

Research has identified common cultural stereotypes associated with various racial groups in the United States. For example, Asian Americans are often stereotyped as cold, sly, and intelligent; Latinos as cold and unintelligent; European Americans as cold and intelligent; and African Americans as aggressive, athletic, and more likely to be lawbreakers.

Cultural Stereotypes of Major Racial Groups in the U.S.

An expectation that facilitates the fulfillment of the expectation through behavior. 

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Stereotypes can trigger a self-fulfilling prophecy through a distinct causal process. When an individual holds a stereotypic belief about another person, it creates an expectation. This expectation influences the individual's behavior toward the other person, which in turn elicits a response from that person that confirms the original stereotype. This cycle not only reinforces the biased belief but can also lead to acts of prejudice and discrimination.

Stereotypes and Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Social influence refers to the power of a social situation to alter an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This phenomenon, driven by real or imagined pressure from others, is demonstrated through key topics such as conformity, obedience, and group processes.

Social Influence

Prosocial behavior is defined as any voluntary action performed with the specific intention of benefiting another person or group. It raises the question of whether such acts are motivated solely by personal benefits, like feeling good, or if other reasons, such as altruism, are at play.

Prosocial Behavior

Social networks are social structures consisting of interconnected patterns of relationships among different individuals.

Social Network 

In social psychology, prejudice refers to the attitudes and feelings held toward an individual based solely on their membership in a particular social group. While these attitudes are often negative and problematic, they can also be positive, such as having favorable feelings for people who belong to a group one identifies with.

Prejudice in Social Psychology

While social psychology often examines negative behaviors, it also delves into positive social interactions such as what draws people together. The study of love and attraction explores the key questions of relationship formation, including the situational factors that make relationships more likely, the universal traits people find appealing, the different classifications of love, and theories that explain how relationships are initiated, sustained, and sometimes ended.

Love and Attraction

Physical proximity is the single most influential factor in determining the formation of friendships and romantic relationships. People are significantly more likely to build relationships with individuals they encounter frequently simply because regular contact provides more opportunities for interaction and getting to know one another.

Proximity in Relationship Formation

Aggression is defined as any behavior intended to cause harm or pain to another person. It is a core topic in social psychology, encompassing a range of actions with different underlying motivations.

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