OVERVIEW

Write a 4–5-page assessment in which you apply theories and concepts about prejudice, stereotypes, and groups to different points related to these topics.

Prejudice and stereotyping seem to be part of the human condition, and it is essential to examine how attitudes develop in order to change our behavior as individuals and as a society.

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By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

•   Competency 2: Apply social psychological research and theory to examine social perception, social interaction, and social influence.

•                     Examine how attitudes and behaviors of a group influence prejudice and stereotyping.

•                     Explain how membership in a group influences social judgment.

•   Competency 3: Analyze social psychological theory and research to explain personal, professional, and social issues.

•                     Analyze how portrayal of ethnic, cultural, and social groups by the media influences social perception of the group and perpetuates stereotyping.

•                     Analyze how subtle stereotyping and cognitive dissonance can affect the ability to bring about social change.

•   Competency 5: Examine controversial research studies in social psychology from an ethical standpoint.

•                     Describe ethical challenges researchers face when conducting research on controversial topics.

•   Competency 6: Apply critical thinking skills to resolve conflicts and issues in the field of social psychology.

•                     Examine the implications and consequences for society of not addressing prejudice and stereotyping.

•   Competency 7: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.

•                     Write coherently to support a central idea with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a psychology professional.

Use APA format and style.

 

CONTEXT

 

Prejudice occurs all over the world, often contributing to violence, oppression, and other forms of harm. What are the distinctions between stereotypes, discrimination, and prejudice? When do stereotypes become prejudices? Racism and sexism occur across races, ages, genders, religions, physical appearances, sexual orientations, and so on. Prejudice creates emotional, physical, and economic harm to individuals, groups, and society as a whole. But what factors create prejudice, and how can prejudice be reduced? What role do media play in both maximizing and minimizing stereotypes and prejudices? By examining how prejudices are cultivated and the damage they cause, we can begin to see how we might overcome and prevent prejudice.

Groups

Anyone who has worked in teams knows the challenges of working as a team but also the synergistic accomplishments that come when the team works well together. The fact is that, as cultural animals, we are required to be part of groups of varying types and sizes. Social psychology seeks to answer important questions that assist us in understanding the challenges, limitations, and benefits of groups. What makes some groups more and some groups less cohesive? Can groups outperform individuals? This area of social psychology researches these questions as well as topics such as how exclusion of outside information can lead to groupthink and how anonymity in a group can lead to social loafing. Social psychology also looks at different styles of leadership and their effects on group dynamics and performance.

Learning dynamics of group process and leadership potentially makes us better group participants and leaders. The research findings in these areas have implications for organizations from as small as neighborhood associations up through organizations as large as governments. Businesses, both small and large, have taken notice of and applied research in these areas to improve job practices and employee relations and performance.

 

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

 

To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of the business community.

•   How many types of prejudice or stereotyping can you think of?

•   Where does prejudice against each group come from?

Are you afflicted with cognitive dissonance?

 

RESOURCES

 

•            Suggested Resources
The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom.
FMG Videos
Click the following links to view videos purchased through Films Media Group for use in this Capella course. Any distribution of video content or associated links is prohibited.

•                     Racial Stereotypes in the Media.

•                     Prejudice: More than Black and White.

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InstanceBeginEditable name=”RemainingParagraphs” Library Resources
The following e-books or articles from the Capella University Library are linked directly in this course. Note: Some of the articles are quite old and are included here because they are considered seminal works in the field.

•                     Aramovich, N. P. (2014). The effect of stereotype threat on group versus individual performance. Small Group Research, 45(2), 176–197.

•                     Brambilla, M., & Butz, D. A. (2013). Intergroup threat and outgroup attitudes: Macro-level symbolic threat increases prejudice against gay men. Social Psychology, 44(5), 311–319.

•                     Carr, P. B., Dweck, C. S., & Pauker, K. (2012). “Prejudiced” behavior without prejudice? Beliefs about the malleability of prejudice affect interracial interactions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(3), 452–471.

•                     Dasgupta, N., DeSteno, D., Williams, L. A., & Hunsinger, M. (2009). Fanning the flames of prejudice: The influence of specific incidental emotions on implicit prejudice. Emotion, 9(4), 585–591.

•                     Fehr, J., Sassenberg, K., & Jonas, K. J. (2012). Willful stereotype control: The impact of internal motivation to respond without prejudice on the regulation of activated stereotypes. Zeitschrift Für Psychologie, 220(3), 180–186.

•                     Gallate, J., Wong, C., Ellwood, S., Chi, R., & Snyder, A. (2011). Noninvasive brain stimulation reduces prejudice scores on an implicit association test. Neuropsychology, 25(2), 185–192.

•                     Johnson, M. K., Rowatt, W. C., & LaBouff, J. P. (2012). Religiosity and prejudice revisited: In-group favoritism, out-group derogation, or both? Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 4(2), 154–168.

•                     Lehman, B. (2012). The impacts of friendship groups’ racial composition when perceptions of prejudice threaten students’ academic self-concept. Social Psychology of Education, 15(3), 411–425.

•                     Paluck, E. L. (2009). Reducing intergroup prejudice and conflict using the media: A field experiment in Rwanda. Journal of Personality And Social Psychology, 96(3), 574–587.

•                     Pearl, R. L., Puhl, R. M., & Brownell, K. D. (2012). Positive media portrayals of obese persons: Impact on attitudes and image preferences. Health Psychology, 31(6), 821–829.

•                     Scarabis, M., & Florack, A. (2008). How the motivation to make fair judgments influences memory for in- and out-group behavior. Swiss Journal of Psychology/Schweizerische Zeitschrift Für Psychologie/Revue Suisse De Psychologie, 67(4), 241–248.

•                     Schlehofer, M. M., Casad, B. J., Bligh, M. C., & Grotto, A. R. (2011). Navigating public prejudices: The impact of media and attitudes on high-profile female political leaders. Sex Roles, 65(1–2), 69–82.

•                     Shier, M. L., Jones, M. E., & Graham, J. R. (2010). Perspectives of employed people experiencing homelessness of self and being homeless: Challenging socially constructed perceptions and stereotypes. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 37(4), 13–37.

•                     Reyna, C., Dobria, O., & Wetherell, G. (2013). The complexity and ambivalence of immigration attitudes: Ambivalent stereotypes predict conflicting attitudes toward immigration policies. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 19(3), 342–356.

•                     Ryan, C. S., & Bogart, L. M. (1997). Development of new group members’ in-group and out-group stereotypes: Changes in perceived group variability and ethnocentrism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73(4), 719–732.

•                     Wong, Y. J., Horn, A. J., & Chen, S. (2013). Perceived masculinity: The potential influence of race, racial essentialist beliefs, and stereotypes. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 14(4), 452–464.

•                     Zafar, S., & Ross, E. C. (2014). Interreligious contact, attitudes, and stereotypes: A study of five religious groups in Canada. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement. Advance online publication.

•                     Von Sikorski, C., & Schierl, T. (2014). Attitudes in context: Media effects of salient contextual information on recipients’ attitudes toward persons with disabilities. Journal of Media Psychology, 26(2), 70–80.

•             Course Library Guide
A Capella University library guide has been created specifically for your use in this course. You are encouraged to refer to the resources in the Introduction to Social Psychology Library Guide to help direct your research.
Internet Resources
Access the following resources by clicking the links provided. Please note that URLs change frequently. Permissions for the following links have either been granted or deemed appropriate for educational use at the time of course publication. Note: To access the Cengage Clips for Class videos, scroll through the list until you find the correct video.

•                     Cengage Learning. (2014). Clips for Class: Social: Social Cognition: Women, math, and stereotype threat | Transcript. Retrieved from http://www.clipsforclass.com/social#cognition

•                     Cengage Learning. (2014). Clips for Class: Social: Prosocial Behavior: Reaction to women abusing men in public | Transcript. Retrieved from http://www.clipsforclass.com/social#prosocial

•             Bookstore Resources
The resources listed below are relevant to the topics and assessments in this course and are not required. Unless noted otherwise, these materials are available for purchase from the Capella University Bookstore. When searching the bookstore, be sure to look for the Course ID with the specific –FP (FlexPath) course designation.

•                     Baumeister, R. F., & Bushman, B. J. (2014). Social psychology & human nature (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Chapters 8, 13, and 14.

ASSESSMENT NSTRUCTIONS

 

Assessment ISearch for research articles on theories and concepts related to prejudice, stereotypes, and groups. For your assessment, apply at least one theory or concept to each of the following:

•   Examine how attitudes and behaviors of a group can contribute to prejudice and stereotyping.

•   Analyze how the portrayal of ethnic, cultural, or social groups by the media can influence social perception of those groups and perpetuate stereotypes. Provide specific examples of how a group has been portrayed in the media.

•   Explain how membership in a group can influence social judgment.

•   Analyze how subtle stereotyping in everyday language and cognitive dissonance can affect the ability to bring about social change. Provide specific examples.

•   Describe the types of ethical considerations researchers should consider before conducting research on the hotly debated topics of prejudice and stereotyping.

•   What are the implications and likely consequences for society if prejudice and stereotyping are not reduced?

Your submitted assessment should be 4–5 pages in length, excluding title page and reference page. Support your statements and analyses with references to at least three scholarly research articles. Be sure to follow APA guidelines for format and style.

Additional Requirements

•   Include a title page and reference page.

•   At least three current scholarly or professional resources.

•   APA format.

•   Times New Roman font, 12 point.

•   Double spaced.

 

Discussion: Looking Back and Looking Forward

In Week 1 of the course, you selected two topics that you hoped to explore further during the course. Language and cognitive development are broad fields with many theoretical perspectives, research areas, and applications. Did any new avenues of learning or professional interest open for you during the course? Reflect on these, as well as past and current research you explored during the course.

Research does not exist for its own sake; it exists to inform practice and provide the foundation for application. Whatever your role or future role in developmental psychology—whether in education, direct service provision, policy, programming, or other area—you will need to ground your work empirically and apply scholarship to its practice. For this Discussion, you consider how you could use specific knowledge from the course related to language and cognition to advance social change related to some aspect of your life.

To prepare:

· Consider how the topics you explored throughout the course might influence your future as a psychology professional. How can you use the knowledge gained in this course to advance social change within your immediate context of work, leisure, family, or broader society?

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 4

Post an explanation of two topics from the course you would like to continue exploring professionally. Then, explain how you could use this knowledge to advance social change within your profession, community, or society.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources. Use proper APA format and citations.

Resources for this week; Barney, J. (12016). They’ll have to rewrite the textbooks. The university of Virginia Retrieved from https://news.virginia.edu/content/researchers-find-textbook-altering-link-between-brain-immune-system

Callahan, D., Wilson, E, Birdsall, I., Estabrook-Fishinghawk, B., Carson, G., Ford, S…..Yob, I. (2012). Expanding our understandingof social change: A report from the definition task force of the HLC special emphasis project. Minneapolis, Mn: Walden University.& Company.

Pinker, S. (1997). Standard equipment. In how the mind works. (pp 3-58). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.

Social Change working group. (2015). Review of social change at walden university. Retrieved from https://www.waldenu.edu/-/media/Walden/files/about-walden/walden-social-change-review-2015-2016.pdf?la=en

For more than 45 years, Walden University has provided a diverse community of career professionals with the opportunity to transform themselves as scholar-practitioners so that they can apply what they’ve learned to effect positive social change. Walden is focused on inspiring and celebrating the remarkable achievements of our community members who continue to make a difference by addressing challenges where they live, in their professions, and in the world around them.

Walden’s five-year social change plan is one that will shape our thinking about the future and our vision for social change within the university. Read more about the university’s efforts to become a leader in connecting our virtual presence with both local and global actions to make a difference in the Walden 2020: A Vision for Social Change 2017 Report.

For Walden, social change is not just something we talk about—social change is who we are. Walden students, alumni, faculty, and staff are creating and contributing to real change and having an impact on a global scale.

As a Certified B Corporation®, Walden is proud to join a growing, global movement of other Certified B Corps that look beyond profits to benefit the communities we serve and, most importantly, future generations. Our B Corp™ certification directly aligns with our mission to drive positive social change through our graduates of our degree programs. Our students and alumni embrace this responsibility, using their education to make the world a better place.

Learn more about the social change initiatives guiding our institution.

Scholarly Change

A Curriculum Designed to Foster the Application of Knowledge to Positive Social Change
A core commitment that Walden makes as we develop and improve our curriculum is ensuring that our students can apply new skills, expand their networks, gain deeper knowledge, and consider a variety of perspectives in order to better address practical problems at an individual level as well as within their organizations, communities, and society at large.

Working collaboratively, college leadership, faculty members, and curricula developers continually evaluate Walden’s programs to assess the effectiveness of our curriculum in helping our students effect positive social change. In our annual Review of Social Change at Walden University (summary), we document some of the more important changes to our curriculum that support social change initiatives.

Other Resources That Help Inform Perspectives on Social Change
Through ScholarWorks, Walden makes the scholarly and creative output of the Walden University community publicly available, in order to generate, conserve, and transform knowledge by making connections among and between ideas to improve human and social conditions. Browse our collection of social change publications that exemplify Walden’s mission by exploring issues that impact communities.

The Journal of Social Change, sponsored by Walden University, welcomes manuscripts from the Walden community and the public that focus on interdisciplinary research in social change that seeks to improve the human condition and moves people, groups, organizations, cultures, and society toward a more positive future.

Walden commissioned the Social Change Impact Report to discover the current state of social change around the world, assess the impact of social change, and learn more about the individuals who are creating and applying ideas. The report also identifies individual beliefs about social change, the issues that those surveyed care about, the motivations behind their engagement, the actions they are taking to further social change, and the tools they use. Discover what kind of social change agent you are by taking Walden’s quiz based on this research.

Applied Change

Walden’s annual Global Days of Service is an opportunity for the Walden community to make an impact in neighborhoods around the world and advance the university’s mission of positive social change. Members of the Walden community generously donate their time and expertise to serve their neighbors in need, as they experience firsthand the impact they can make in the lives of others. Students, alumni, faculty, and staff contribute to community projects serving schools, food banks, community centers, and much more.

The annual Scholars of Change video contest allows our students and graduates to share their stories demonstrating how a Walden degree is helping them make a positive difference in their lives and the lives of those in their communities. The winners’ inspirational videos underscore our social change mission and show how the Walden community is helping to advance the greater good.

Designed to expand learning beyond the classroom, Walden’s study abroad and international public service programs allow students to gain a better understanding of their own culture while being immersed in another, resulting in a greater tolerance for difference, better understanding of the role stereotyping plays, and a deepened appreciation for one’s own academic and career goals. Students generally volunteer 20–30 hours on public service trips.

Inspiring Change

Throughout students’ journeys at Walden, they are provided various opportunities to hear directly from distinguished scholars, journalists, social scientists, and change-makers who share with students their diverse global views. See the list of speakers from 2007 to present.

Walden’s alumni magazine and Spotlight on Walden, the university’s blog, both feature stories and insights from our community of change agents. Get to know the Walden community and see how we are making a difference. Share your story at mywaldenimpact@waldenu.edu.

It is a core belief at Walden that educational institutions like ours have an important role to play in supporting positive social change. To help students reach their fullest potential, so they can be prepared to make a difference in the world around them, Walden regularly commits millions of dollars in social change scholarships and grants.

Social Entrepreneurship Programs at Walden

Become the entrepreneurial professional you’ve always wanted to be. As part of our core mission of social change, Walden now offers masters-level program specializations and certificates to help you advance your passion for making an impact in your profession and community.