MCAT Psychology & Sociology · Lesson 10
Social Thinking
4 min read3 sectionsUpdated
3 sections
10.3 Stereotypes, Prejudice, Discrimination
This section details how biases form and affect behavior, including stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, and cultural influences.
Stereotypes
- Attitudes/impressions based on limited info
- Warmth & competence framework:
- Paternalistic: viewed as inferior
- Contemptuous: resentment/anger
- Envious: jealousy/bitterness
- Admiration: pride/respect
Self-fulfilling prophecy
- Expectations → behavior confirming them
- Can cause stress/anxiety
Stereotype threat
- Anxiety about confirming negative stereotype → ↓ performance
- Example: women taking math exams with other women present scored higher
Prejudice
- Irrational positive/negative attitude
- Influenced by race, geography, organizations
- Propaganda can create prejudice using fear messages
- Social stratification factors:
- Power: achieve goals/control resources
- Prestige: societal respect
- Class: socioeconomic status
- Leads to inequality
Ethnocentrism
- Judging others by own culture
- Spectrum: ethnic pride → cultural supremacy
In-group / Out-group
- In-group: belonging, identify as member
- Out-group: no identification, possible negative bias
Cultural relativism
- Recognize differences without valuing own culture as superior
Discrimination
- Prejudicial attitudes → differential treatment
- Individual: one person acts
- Institutional: systemic bias, difficult to remove
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10.1 Social Behavior
This section explores interpersonal behaviors including attraction, aggression, attachment, social support, and evolutionary aspects of social behavior. It also covers altruism, mate choice, and strategies in social interactions influencing fitness.
Attraction
Aggression
Attachment
Social Support
Social behaviors and evolutionary fitness
Altruism
Game theory
Inclusive fitness
of offspring