The Difference between Prejudices and Stereotypes

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Prejudice can be described as an opinion formed against a person or group based on a stereotype (Prejudice). While stereotypes are classified as generalizations about a group of people where we attribute a specific set of characteristics to this group. These characteristics or opinions can be positive or negative, such as when various nationalities are stereotyped as friendly or unfriendly (Lippmann, 1922). To learn about predudice, you must also learn about stereotypes. Prejudice and stereotypes go hand and hand.

There are three types of prejudice; cognitive, affective, and conative. Cognitive prejudice is what an individual believes to be true. Affective prejudice is what individuals like and dislike. Conative prejudice is how individuals are inclined to behave. Prejudice can take the form of racial, sexual, economic class, gender, sexual orientation, gender, and religion (Prejudice). Prejudice is veiwed as both positive and negative. For example, when a university begins actively to recruit black students whose academic credentials would not normally be acceptable, then a specific instance of positive racial discrimination is occurring, possibly indicating a form of positive racial prejudice (Richard A. Dienstbier, 1970). Saying Jews are cheap is a form of negative prejudice.

Prejudice has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. Prejudice against Jews is called antisemitism this form of prejudice has been known for more than two thousand years (Introduction. Dynamics of Prejudice - Human Nature & Behavior, 2003). Prejudice has never been easy to deal with but thanks to education individuals learn about exposure and technology can go a long ways in helping individuals understand eachother.

Stereoty...

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... New York may result in us having a ‘New Yorkers are different’ sub-type (Lippmann, 1922).

To conclude, stereotypes are not only harmful in their own right, they do plenty damage by fostering prejudice (Plous, 2002).

Works Cited

Introduction. Dynamics of Prejudice - Human Nature & Behavior. (2003). Retrieved March 20, 2011, from u.arizona.edu/: http://www.u.arizona.edu/~shaked/Holocaust/lectures/lec1.html

Lippmann, W. (1922). Public Opinion. New York, NY: Free Press Paperbacks Edition 1997.

Plous, S. (2002). Understanding Prejudice and Discrimination. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Prejudice. (n.d.). Definitions.net. Retrieved March 20, 2011, from http://www.definitions.net/definition/prejudice

Richard A. Dienstbier2. (1970). Positive and negative prejudice: Interactions of prejudice with race and social desirability. Journal of Personality(38), 198-215.

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