chapter 2 prepared by s. saterfield

s.saterfield, 2006 1

Chapter 2

Prepared by S. SaterfieldFrom The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination, Whitley and Kite, 2006

How Psychologists Study Prejudice and Discrimination


Epistemology of Social Problems

Prejudice and Discrimination–Origins—How it came about

and –Persistence—How it has continues

Social Science Research


Results of research is to understand how events happen and how to address that phenomenon (e.g. how to reduce prejudice)



•Provides descriptive information•Test Theories which researchers derive predictions about behavior

•Can use research findings principles to design interventions to reduce prejudice

•Research measures differentiations of high and low prejudice and discriminations



–Theories—organize knowledge by proposing linksamong variable such as possible describing possible causes of prejudice

–Variable—is a characteristic on which people differ and can be more than one value when it is measured in a group of people (varies across people)

e.g. Prejudice is a variable—some people are high on prejudice, some people are low and

some people fall between (can vary as a function of situations)

Research Process


Linked theories propose among variables are called postulatesTheoretical postulates can be based on

–results of research –theorist's observations experiences –speculations about ways in which variable might

be related to one another –a combination of all these sources

Research Process


–Hypotheses—derive explanations from theoretical postulates that can be tested in research (statements of expected relationships between variables)–Operational Definition—helps to construct the hypotheses

–Predictions—are a best guest about what will happen based on the hypotheses

Research Process


Researchers start the process of testing theories by

deriving hypotheses from operational definitions

Research Process


FACTS

THEORIES

HYPOTHESES

RESEARCH

CONCLUSIONS

The Research Cycle


Theory Application

Hypotheses

PredictionsOperational

Definition

Data Collection•Correlational•Experimental•Ethnographic•Content analysis

Conclusion:• Statistical•Meaning of results

Verification:•replicability•generalizability

The Research Process


Theories and HypothesisTheories HypothesesPsychodynamic Prejudice helps fulfill psychological needs

Sociocultural Prejudice is based on social norms, so one might hypothesize that anti-blacks prejudice would be stronger in areas where prejudice against African American is more strongly supported by social norms

Intergroup relations Groups compete with one another for resources and people develop a dislike of members of other groups because they are tying to get the things they want.

Cognitive People have an innate tendency to put people into categories.

Evolutionary People evolved a fear and dislike of strangers to protest themselves against possible aggression, so one might hypothesize that fear of and disliking for strangers would be found in all human cultures.


The Research StrategiesData Collection

• Correlational Studies

• Experiments

• Ethnographic Studies

• Content Analysis

• Measuring two or more variable and look for relationships among them

• Conducted in the laboratory, in the field and as part of surveys in a control situation to ensure criteria for causality

• Qualitative data collection including participating in events, observing behavior and conducting interviews

• Study of documents, photographs, and works of art to identify themes to understand topic being studies


Drawing conclusions—data in research is open to multiple interpretations—leading to researchers drawing conclusions from them

–Was the researchers’ hypotheses supported

–What the data means

Research Process


Research StrategiesStrategy AdvantagesSurveys- Probability/Random sample- Convenience Sample

-Generalizability to population as a whole-Less expensive; can ask more questions

Experiments- Laboratory- Field- Within Survey

-High control allows one to draw conclusions about causality-Balance between control and naturalism-High control allows conclusions about causality; high generalizability when probability sample is used

Ethnography High degree of naturalism.

Content Analysis High degree of naturalism; high generalizability if sampling is done carefully


Implicit Cognition Measures

Measures the degree to which concepts are associated with one another in memory.



Implicit Cognition Measures–Measures the degree to which concepts are associated with one another in memory.

–The stronger the difference in strength of association, the stronger the prejudice



Implicit Cognition MeasuresThese measures are called implicit (hidden) because they are designed to assess associations without the research participants’ being aware of what is being measured.



Implicit Cognition MeasuresTwo implicit cognitive measures used most often in research on prejudice

•Priming—exposure to an example of a member of a category, activates concepts associated with category •Implicit Association Test—assesses extent to which unassociated concepts makes responding more difficult.



Implicit Cognition MeasuresUse response competition—pits two responses against one another, a habitual response and an opposing response. Stronger habitual response, longer it takes to make the opposing response.



Implicit Cognition MeasuresPeople don’t always ‘speak their minds’, and people don’t always ‘know their minds’. The Harvard study IAT presents a method that demonstrates the conscious-unconscious divergences of cognition.



Implicit Association TestYou have simply reported your attitudes

toward or beliefs about the listed topics and provide some general information about yourself.

– We might not always be willing to share our private attitudes with others.

– We may not be aware of some of our own attitudes

Your attitude is showing


chapter 2 prepared by s. saterfield

Documents

research strategiess

low prejudice

psychology of prejudice

sourcesresearch processs

hypothesesresearch processs

variablesome people

group of people

linked theories