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Essay to evaluate authoritarian personality
Different types of prejudice in human beings
Different types of prejudice in human beings
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The importance of childhood experiences in the development of a prejudice personality is supported in research by Allport (1954.) Allport suggests that a prejudice personality and prejudice attitudes are a result of a “crippled” ego. Individuals with low self-esteem and insecurities are more likely to project their fears and self-doubts onto others, predominantly members of an out group. These characteristics all comply with Adorno’s authoritarian personality traits. A combination of low self-esteem when growing up and extremely strict parenting arguably could create an individual with the ‘authoritarian personality.’ Key criticisms of the authoritarian personality theory are that it only explains the presence of prejudice in a small portion …show more content…
The theory suggests that there is little hope of changing an authoritarian individual to become more accepting of others (Eberhardt & Fiske 1996.) It can be argued, that even if an individual is raised in a home where every single one of Adorno’s necessary authoritative personality traits are present, they will still be able to grow up and not hold prejudice attitudes. Adorno’s theory suggest that as humans we have no ability to change our way of thinking and that we simply adopted our parents views of the world and that is it. Although our environment and upbringing shape us as individuals there are a significant number of other factors that help shape our attitudes, essentially, we are not clones of our parents, and we still have free will over our attitudes and …show more content…
When these values and goals conflict with another group’s values and goals this is when prejudice attitudes occur and conflict ensues. A key element of the conflict theory is the notion that groups fear their resources will be taken by another group, therefor, hostile attitudes arise. Resources in this sense can refer to a variety of things such as food, water, land or jobs. Whatever one group perceives as valuable to them can be a resource. Competition for these resources enhances prejudice and stereotypes. The conflict theory regarding prejudice refers specifically to the idea of in-groups and out-groups. Individuals view themselves on the inside looking out at individuals in an out group. The conflict theory relies on the idea of ‘threats’, if the in- group is threatened in some way or another by an out group this is when prejudice attitudes are engaged, the feeling of powerlessness drive these attitudes also. Frustration regarding the feeling of powerlessness can be the root of conflict between groups. Depending on whether an individual sees themselves as the in group or the out group can determine the level of frustration and powerlessness that they feel. The conflict theory suggests that individuals adopt the views of their group, meaning that in this theory prejudiced attitudes are thought to be a result of a group of people rather than personal individual choices.
and Altemeyer’s approaches to authoritarianism share many similarities, such as the more descriptive approach to their work than explanatory route, where neither clearly identify the source of authoritarianism. (Jones, 2002. Cited in The Open University, 2015, p50)
Simply Psychology.org illustrates a study on the human mind by Dr. Sigmund Freud which states, “A prejudiced son may not act of their attitude. Therefore, someone can be prejudiced towards a certain group, but not discriminate against them. Also, prejudice includes all three compotes of attitude (affective, behavioral and cognitive), whereas discrimination is just behavior” (Mcleod).The reality is, everybody is prejudiced, as Rauch argued. The crazy, obnoxiously liberal anti-prejudice people are prejudiced. To say somebody is prejudice is to say oneself is prejudice. It is very sad that they are unable to see that they are just creating a never-ending cycle of prejudice. It makes them prejudice to name someone else as prejudice, just as it makes someone prejudice to name someone else a “spic” or
We’ve all done it: walking down a hallway, judging someone or thinking someone is less than what we perceive ourselves to be based on the color of their skin or how they are dressed, or even their physical features. The author of The Language of Prejudice, Gordon Allport, shares how we live in a society where we are ridiculed for being less than a culture who labels themselves as dominant. This essay reveals the classifications made to the American morale. Allport analyzes in many ways how language can stimulate prejudice and the connection between language and prejudice.
Parrillo, then provides the last two theories of psychological prejudice: frustration and authoritarian personality as a closing statement. Bestowing upon sociologist Theodor W. Adorno and a few of his colleagues from University of California, Berkeley, they reflect a multitude of characterizations as to why these two factors has the greatest contribution to how a person’s chain of thought reflects based on where they were raised and also the experiences that they had encountered during their early childhood. While other influential sociologists and researchers like Edward Shils, he challenged the question that there is more to it than just the problems from early childhood experiences. We must also reconsider the social conflicts that have been happening without having to ignore what is actually affecting
Prejudice meaning pre-judging someone and having an unwarranted bias occurs often in today’s society and has been around since the beginning of time. Prejudice can effect people’s decisions and have an unfair impact on society. The text ‘To kill a mocking-bird’ written by Harper Lee and the movie ‘Philadelphia’ directed by Jonathon Demme explore this idea thoroughly.
...to be achieved, years, decades, lifetimes, conflict is intended to fulfill this need. Ultimately, conflict theory is about the struggles, ideologies, representations, and power that the haves possess and the have-nots want to exert. These concepts come into play causing conflict between the groups which ends in social change.
this tension is brought out in hate groups. Hate groups play off of the stereotypes of specific
By definition, conflict theory basically sees the society as a pitch in which inequality thrives in order to generate conflict and change. For instance, this theory emphasizes on the purpose of coercion in generating a social order that’s often ch...
Prejudice is the attitude of conveying negative stereotypes to a particular group, usually known as the out-groups. Usually the stereotypes are generalizations based on superficial opinions, so they have an invalid connotation behind it. Stereotypes in some cases evoke prejudice mindsets, leading to discriminate a certain ethnic group, age group, religion, seuxal orienntation, or body size. Stereotypes are usually socially learned from one’s environment and latched onto the mind of a young child. This could possibly later influence their opinion about something they are not fully educated on. One cannot control what they are taught, but one can control what they do with that information. They can either not believe a word of it or take it into
Prejudice cannot be readily defined. Even when evidence seems unambiguous, claims of prejudice are usually hotly contested. Allport defined prejudice as an antipathy that is founded on an inflexible and faulty generalization. He further stated that it can be expressed or felt, directed towards an individual or a group. An integral part of the acknowledgment of prejudice lies in properly identifying the appropriate category under which antagonism is targeted. For instance, the populace may not be prejudiced generally against ladies, but they may be fairly prejudiced against ladies who take up social roles usually set for men. Some prejudice may at times take the form condescending or patronizing reactions, when groups are understood to be dependent or incompetent. E...
A psychological construct called the authoritarian personality believes that a person’s upbringing can result in intolerance as an adult. The rigid personality type dislikes people who are different. “A child with an authoritarian upbringing obeyed and then later treated others as he or she had been raised (Schaefer 39).
Kleg, M. (1993). Hate, prejudice, and racism. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Prejudice and discrimination have both been prevalent throughout human history. Prejudice deals with the inflexible and irrational attitudes and opinions that are held by others of one group against those of another. Discrimination on the other hand refers to the behaviors directed against another group. Prejudiced individuals have preconceived beliefs about groups of people or cultural practices. There are both positive and negative forms of prejudice, however, the negative form of prejudice leads to discrimination. Individuals that practice discrimination do so to protect opportunities for themselves, by denying access to those whom they believe do not deserve the same treatment as everyone else. An example of discrimination based on prejudice involves the Jews. “Biased sentiments and negative stereotypes of Jews have been a part of Western tradition for centuries and, in fact, have been stronger and more vicious in Europe than in the United States. For nearly two millennia, European Jews have been chastised and persecuted as the “killers of Christ” and stereotyped as materialistic moneylenders and crafty business owners (Healey, p.65). The prejudice against these groups led to the discrimination against them.
Prejudice is an inexcusable attitude (usually harmful) towards an individual based solely on the individual’s membership of a social group. Victims of prejudice may have difficulty focusing on tasks and making clear decisions and this effect can linger after the incident. Psychotherapy may be helpful in treating the negative mental effects of someone who has been the victim of prejudice. Psychotherapy may also be beneficial for someone who has prejudged or discriminated against another.
Sidanius, James. “The Psychology of Group Conflict and the Dynamics of Oppression: A Social Dominance Perspective” In S. Iyengar & W. J. McGuire (Eds.), Explorations in Political Psychology pp 183-219. Durham: Durham University Press, 1993. Print.