Social Psychology - Unit 1
1. Click on the link below and view the multimedia presentation. There is music if the sound on your computer works. If not, you can still view the presentation.
2. Read the instructions in the post linked below. (You need to complete as many online quizzes, activities and personal inventories as time allows.) Comment under this post, not in the post linked below. In your comment, focus on what you learned about yourself after participating in some of the online quizzes, personal inventories, activities, etc. Comments are worth 10 points - based on quality of response.
Go here (includes quizzes/activities from Teaching Tolerance):
Click here to find the Scientific American article on hidden bias:
Teaching Tolerance - Images in Action - go here:
Notes and Resources:
Stereotypes:
A "stereotype" is a generalization about a person or group of persons. We develop stereotypes when we are unable or unwilling to obtain all of the information we would need to make fair judgments about people or situations. In the absence of the "total picture," stereotypes in many cases allow us to "fill in the blanks." Our society often innocently creates and perpetuates stereotypes, but these stereotypes often lead to unfair discrimination and persecution when the stereotype is unfavorable.
A stereotype is a way we simplify our world. It is a short-hand way we deal with complex events. Stereotypes become dangerous when they leave us blind to individual differences.
(Discuss two studies: 5th and 6th grade students - rate classmates on a number of characteristics...peers from "upper class" families rated more positively on every desirable quality. 2nd study: Charles Bond Study- Treatment of Black and white patients at a psychiatric hospital run by white staff...2 most common methods of dealing with violent behavior - seclusion or restraining individual in straight jacket followed by sedative..harsher methods used against Black patients (4x more likely compared with white patients) despite the fact white and Black patients virtually identical with regard to number of violent incidents. Over time, as patients and staff grew more familiar, prejudice decreased.
Lessons, activities and information on stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, racism and genocide:
http://www.remember.org/History.root.stereotypes.html
Stereotype Threat:
http://hansengeorge.blogspot.com/2007/09/stereotype-threat.html
Rethinking Schools Article/Asian American Stereotypes: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/22_02/math222.shtml
Stereotype Threat:
http://hansengeorge.blogspot.com/2007/09/stereotype-threat.html
Rethinking Schools Article/Asian American Stereotypes: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/22_02/math222.shtml
In Class Activities:
Headband Activity (comment for extra credit)
Kidney Machine Activity (comment for extra credit)
http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/jking4/CALM/CALM%20-%20group%20activity%20kidney%20machine.pdf
http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/jking4/CALM/CALM%20-%20group%20activity%20kidney%20machine.pdf
Excellent article dealing with so-called "positive" stereotypes:
Prejudice/Discrimination:
Prejudice: A negative or hostile attitude toward another social group
Discrimination: Refers to an unfavorable action, behavior, outcome or treatment
Causes:
Threat to self-esteem
Exploitation Theory
Scapegoating Theory
Authoritarian Personality Theory
Uncertainty/Ignorance
Effects:
Less access to:
-approval and popularity
-rights and privileges
-power, knowledge and popularity
Exposure to social risks:
-victimization through violence
-suspicion and blame for crimes
-rejection, alienation and isolation, which contributes to low self esteem, self-hatred and self-destructive behavior
-economic exploitation and oppression
One of the worst effects of prejudice is SELF-FULFILLING PROPHESY
Examples in history have been:
* African-Americans being forced to ride in the back of the bus
* German Jews being required to wear a yellow "Star of David"
* minorities being referred to by pejorative slang names
* African-Americans being forced to ride in the back of the bus
* German Jews being required to wear a yellow "Star of David"
* minorities being referred to by pejorative slang names
* minorities being the subject of jokes which poke fun at the target's race, religion, or ethnic origin, and which rely on stereotypes
* Japanese-Americans being isolated in camps during World War II
* Native Americans having their land confiscated in violation of treaties, being the victims of government-sponsored massacres, and being placed on reservations.
* Japanese-Americans being isolated in camps during World War II
* Native Americans having their land confiscated in violation of treaties, being the victims of government-sponsored massacres, and being placed on reservations.
(The Social Animal Table of Contents) Most of my lecture is based in information from Elliot Aronson's, The Social Animal
Brown Eyes/Blue Eyes:
Watch and discuss, "A Class Divided"
Racism:
Racism of the past - overt
Racism today - subtle, hidden, difficult to combat
Examples of Modern Racism:
Cultural
-Foreigners (People of color are perceived as not being American)
-Rightness of Whiteness (renaming Native American named lakes, lands, etc.)ethnocentrism - white/western norm/standard
Individual Racism
-Denial (Brown v. Board and cases like this, solved racial problems)
-Avoidance (white flight)
-Blaming the Victim (urban poor need to "get a job")
Institutional Racism
-Employment (word of mouth, seniority system)
Discuss the "Resume Study" University of Chicago/MIT
-Housing (steering, red-lining)
-Education (few minority teachers and professors, curriculum, affirmative action)
-Politics
Assign "Racism in the English Language."
In class, brainstorm a list of words with "black" and "white" in them. After five minutes of brainstorming, form groups. In your groups, categorize words into three categories: Negative, Positive and Neutral. Read several dictionary definitions of "black" and "white." As a class, discuss brainstorming and categorizing activities.
White Privilege:
In class, complete the checklist and discuss.
Checklist:
Institutional Racism:
http://hansengeorge.blogspot.com/2007/10/institutional-racism.html
http://hansengeorge.blogspot.com/2007/10/institutional-racism.html
Hate Crimes:
Bias motivated crime which the offender is motivated by a characteristic of the victim that identifies the victim as a member of some group toward which the offender feels animosity
Genocide:
Psychology and Racism:
Groups Fighting to End Discrimination:
Did You Know? (Thanks Zach for these!)
"Right Now" Van Halen
Psychology Syllabus (Issues of Discrimination, etc.):
Comments
Here are inks to two different versions of the same video. I was reminded of these when I watched the Miniature earth video, and wondered if you had seen these.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q
Some of the quizzes were about money and jobs. It's amazing how, even though we're "equal", there's still such a huge gap between whites and blacks, and women and men. You'd think that everything would finally be equal, but obviously it's not. The quiz said way more black men are in prison than white men, and that men earn 26% more than women! How can it be that, after decades of trying to make society equal, equality only exists on the surface?
Also, for all the kids gone today, don't forget posters are due. You will need to hang them in the hall first thing Tuesday, 3rd period. Since you had an extra day, I expect them to be spectacular!
My mom always tells me she would want to take me to the poverty srticken countries to show me that I have so much to be happy for.
I also took some of the quizes and I just realized how much I dont know about other races and about life in general.
I also did the sorting activity and got a lot of them wrong. Goes to prove the old maxim: you can NEVER judge a book by its cover.
Some of the other quizzes I did were also interesting, and enjoyed the little "Hurricane" animation on the fron page.
Obviously we discuss this issue a lot in my Psychology class. We discuss the topic of sterotypes and how stereotypes (often based on someone's appearance) can lead to prejudice (negative/harmful attitudes and beliefs) which often leads to discrimination (negative/hostile actions). I guess that is the purpose behind "The Sorting Activity." We need to recognize that we do this...sometimes without realizing it. We often fall into the "rut" of sterotyping people based on appearance. We simply need to be aware we do this.
Do you want to comment a little more on this? Also, what other quizzes did you complete. Did you comment on them yet?