Ch 5: Stereotypes, Prejudice, & Discrimination Part 2: Sept. 27, 2010
What causes prejudice? 1) Motivational Factors: Optimal distinctiveness Intergroup conflict – Sherif’s “Robber’s Cave” experiment – 2 groups of boys divided into groups Effect of competition? Resolution?
Realistic Conflict theory – impact of limited resources Social Identity theory – status of our groups Importance of self-esteem on ingroup favoritism
What causes prejudice? 2) Cognitive factors – Categorization – importance of heuristics Outgroup homogeneity effect – what is it? Why does it happen? 1) 2) Jane Elliott’s research fits with this explanation…
Blue Eyed/Brown Eyed Experiment Jane Elliott – 3rd grade teacher in Iowa in 1968. All-white, all-Christian community. Blue-eyed/Brown-eyed exercise – how did it work? Kids are told blue-eyed were superior, nicer, etc. Day 2 reversed the groups Effects on group ‘on the bottom’?
Blue-eyed Video 1970 video “Eye of the Storm” with original kids Elliott now runs organizational & campus diversity seminars Elliott’s main point? How can we predict our reactions to discrimination?