How people learn prejudice

Social cognitive theory views prejudices as an attitude acquired through direct instruction,
modeling, and other social influences. Social identity theory sees a person’s formation of a social
sense of self within a particular group as being due to three thing:

– Social categorization(which may involve the use of reference group)

– Social identify(the person sense of belonging to a particular social group)

– Social comparison(in which people compare themselves to other to improves their self-
esteem)

Stereotype vulnerability refers to the effect that a person’s knowledge of the stereotype the
exist against his or her social group can have on that person behavior. People who are aware of
stereotype may unintentionally come to behave in much way that makes the stereotype real in
self-fulfilling prophecy. Intergroup contact is more effective in reducing prejudice if the group
has a equal status. Prejudice and discrimination can also be reduced when a super ordinate goal
that is large enough to override all other goals need to be achieved by all group.

Overcoming prejudices

Prejudice and discrimination are reduced when people must work together to solve a problem
because each person has an important key to solving the problem, creating a mutual interdependence.
This technique used in education is called the “jigsaw classroom”.Interpersonal attraction refer to liking
or having the desire for a relationship with another person.