Prejudice and Stereotyping

Catalog description

Social group membership - based on race and ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, sex, gender and gender identity, etc. and their intersection- can profoundly influence one's experience of the world and each other. Through this course we will cover the basic experimental social psychology research on thoughts and beliefs (stereotypes), evaluative attitudes (prejudice), and behaviors (discrimination) that are based on group membership. We will explore how empirical research developed from primarily examining explicit (blatant) prejudice in the 20th century to recent examinations of implicit forms of stereotyping and prejudice. We will explore how stereotyping and prejudice can arise from basic perceptual and categorical processes, discuss strategies for minimizing expressed bias in interpersonal situations, and examine the experience of high status - and the consequences of losing it. The ultimate aim is to enhance your ability to evaluate and analyze the scientific merit of this research and apply it to real world social issues.