Discrimination Against Redheads

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Discrimination, stereotypes, and prejudice are constant problems in society which are consistent at any age in all cultural and social settings. The results of discriminative behaviour against different children can impair psychological development and result in depression episodes which sometimes lead to suicide (Schoolboy bullied, 2009). Suicide among adolescents is not a new phenomenon, but discrimination based on appearance is definitely a form of catalyst that makes the pressure of growing up higher and unbearable (Konopka, 1983). This research will focus on discrimination against redheads because scientific research has covered other forms of discrimination based on appearance, but discrimination against redheads remains a neglected area in both society (Bellasugar Australia, 2009) and scientific research.

The gene mutation responsible for ginger hair was discovered in 1995, but this research did not leave any significant impact and future research based on this discovery was dedicated to exploring other differences in genetic constitution between redheads and people with other hair colour (Johansen, 2005). For example, it is established that red hair is the first phenotype linked to pain tolerance (Knight, 2002). Research by Edwin Liem, Teresa Joiner, Kentaro Tsueda, and Daniel Sessler (2005) proved that redheads are more sensitive to thermal pain than women with dark hair, and the results have confirmed previous studies regarding redhead resistance to anaesthetics. There were several limitations to this study, including possible bias from the investigators and subjective responses from participants, but Liem, Joiner, Tsueda, and Sessler (2005) have reached the desired conclusion because they did not consider these limita...

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...lops during childhood, the inability to reverse it will most likely result in retaining the prejudice during adulthood.

Because no research has been made regarding hair colour discrimination, the main aim of this research will be to collect and analyse the data, so future research will be possible. Without providing empirical evidence that discriminations against redheads exist, it is not possible to continue exploring the discrimination effects on psychological development among redheads. Most importantly, prejudice against redheads is the most neglected area of prejudice, and people should be more open about it than about political, racial, religious, and other forms of prejudice, so future research could perhaps provide insight into variables that influence the formation of prejudices which researchers in other forms of appearance-based prejudices have missed.

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