Studies in prejudice

Karl Steffens

Prejudice

prejudice ?

Prejudice

Prejudice as categories which are used to interpret the world

1. relate to social groups

2. are emotional and negative

3. are resistent to change

Prejudice

sender message receiver

Prejudice

sender message receiver

Social psychology

Media analysis

Prejudice

Theoretical approaches

1. Adorno (1952): The authoritarian personality

2. Rokeach (1960): The open and closed mind

3. Sherif et al. (1961): Intergroup conflict and cooperation

4. Tajfel (1957): Group conflict and prejudice

Prejudice

1. Adorno (1952): The authoritarian personality

Character structure that makes an individual susceptible to fascist propaganda

Character structure of an indiviual with a weak ego

Freud: Id – Ego – Super-Ego

Prejudice

2. Rokeach (1960). The open and closed mind

A. belief-disbelief dimension

B. Central-peripheral dimension

(1) central region primitive beliefs / physical world + social world

(2) intermediate region beliefs about the nature of authority; source for information

(3) peripheral region beliefs derived from authority.

C. Time-Perspective Dimension

Prejudice

3. Sherif et al. (1961): Intergroup conflict and cooperation

Summer camp studies: 1949 Connecticut /1953 New York /

1954 Robbers Cave, Oklahoma

• Natural groups

• Formation of groups

• Intergroup conflict

• Solving intergroup conflicts

(common enemy, emergency, avantage)

Prejudice

4. Tajfel (1981): Group conflict and prejudice

• From perception to social perception

• Social categorization and intergroup differenciation

Prejudice

Can prejudice be reduced?