Homework for chapter one of Understanding Prejudice and Discrimination (Pages 1 through 38)

Please make sure you complete the online survey listed under week two assignments before reading this chapter!

After reading chapter one, please answer the following questions:

How do most social scientists agree that prejudice should be defined?
What is the origin of the term “Stereotype” and what does it mean now?
Describe the “Authoritarian Personality.”
What type of authoritarianism is associated with prejudice? Page 6. Right-wing authoritarianism.
What percentage of African Americans has White ancestry?
What percentage of the genes carried by American Whites are from African ancestors?
How does categorical thinking distort perceptions?
Research shows that outgroup members tend to be viewed as more similar, known as the “outgroup homogeneity effect.” How does this lead to stereotyping of outgroup members?
What is “ingroup bias?”
Research indicates that when people experience a drop in self-esteem, they are more likely to express prejudice. This indicates that prejudice may represent a way for some people to maintain their self-esteem. What does this suggest about ways of dealing with prejudice?
Describe three ways in which causal attributions can be used to promote prejudice against outgroup members?
When is subtle racism most likely to be seen?
What component of ambivalent sexism may actually seem positive and thus is even harder to detect?
What was the result of a study about violent rap music in relation to stereotypes?
In addition to priming, what is a second burden faced by people who are stereotyped?
Studies of stereotypes in the media indicated what result when a group of male interviewers who had watched sexist television commercials and then saw a female job applicant?
Self-perpetuating stereotypes may lead individuals to perform more poorly in what condition?
What is one of the most effective ways to successfully reduce stereotypes and increase the accuracy of social perceptions?
Besides empathy and role-playing exercises, name at least two other powerful methods for reducing prejudice and discrimination.