Prejudice and Stereotype
Prejudice originates from attitudinal perceptions and what one feels against a group. Group consists of different people who have different behaviors. Quite often, groups unify behaviors and make each individual of a group behave almost like the other. Behavior in a group may sum up the worst of a single individual or just pick a single good character of some individuals in the group. The constant in the case is that the group always gets its general behavior from its members. There are no universal ways of analyzing what behavior is good and which is bad and sometimes, groups may feel very determined to take what they want as an identity for the group (Meyer, 2003). In such cases, the group's behavior may not be welcomed by many from the out-group. The in-group members may always seem to be complacent about their condition and hence look down upon other's behavior and fail to recognize their places in the environment (Fiske, 2000). Therefore behaviors of a group lead to stereotype and prejudice. Attitudes are derived almost the same way as behaviors. However, attitude is owned by an individual in a group and therefore, when different people in a group have different attitudes, others will find themselves in the jaws of stereotype and hence promote prejudice.
Otherness and Supremacy Battles
Prejudice and stereotype are within the lines of the concept of otherness. Cultural groups, ethnic groups, and even social groups always become subjects to initiators of stereotype. Groups sometimes view themselves superior to others and the supremacy battles will always steepen but the winner will not always come out. When a group feels more important, more complete and significant over others, serotyping become very common. In the football world, there are a million fans for each team of choice. Sometimes a group of Manchester City supporters, since they had taken the lead, they feel more superior to the other groups (Meyer, 2003). The groups of fans who may have seen that the league was there also feel that they were discriminated. In the media, fans for each group (club) express their satisfaction while others in somber moods. The action of feeling more deserving than the other always elevates the stereotype and even promote prejudice against other performing teams. In the example, Chelsea may have hoped to have won the premier league online to be outlived by Man City. Such social groups strive to give outlook what is anticipated from one another.
Social Justice and Group Dynamics
Members of a group contribute immensely towards the social justice. This is because, in the group, everyone feels that they are more to the group than how others are. Social justice requires that one becomes a good decision maker and someone who offers a solution to mistakes or even the problems within the group. Agreements in groups are very different since different individuals occupy the decision making sections. Everyone in the group will feel that they are more deserving than others. Whenever such a rift exists amidst given group, social justice is tampered with (Fiske, 2000). There will be no sound mind deduction from the agreements. In such a way, groups greatly affect the social judgment of a case (Fiske, 2000). Social judgment is, therefore, best achieved by sound mind groups which are not governed by the feeling of the individual attitudes towards a subject matter and the beliefs of some of a few individuals in a group.
Consistency in Thinking and Beliefs
Social change is greatly affected by consistency I thinking and beliefs. Quite often, when an individual or even a group has diverse thinking options and different beliefs towards a given subject matter, there shall be no social change. In case of a classroom setup, it may be required that the students to agree on the time to do an exam (Devine, 1989). Some students may opt for morning hours, others at noon and others may opt for afternoon hours. Due to different beliefs or rather a cognitive dissonance, some students may believe that they have a specific time that they can pass the exams. This may compromise a change in the time and hence the need for having the general decision from a single person.
Ethical Considerations in Research
Some of the major ethical considerations that researchers should consider include the believes that a given group of people hold dear. Different groups of people have different conformations towards their loyalty towards their deity. In case a researcher goes for a fieldwork, and by chance looks down upon the beliefs of those he or she is researching on, and then there may not be any understanding (Ashmore et al, 1981). The constituents may conclude that the researcher is looking down upon them. Another ethical consideration that researchers should foster in establishing groups for research work, it will be very important for them to distinguish the dos and do not of a group (Fiske, 2000). This may develop into a conflict if not sorted before the scene. When the researcher has distinct information about where the research should take place, stereotype and prejudice are avoided.
Discrimination and Social Change
Unreduced stereotypes and prejudice bring about discrimination in the society. When prejudice dominates the community's face, there will never be social change and prosperity in general. The spirit of togetherness shall be done away with and also some set of reduced efforts in ensuring development is reduced. A society having reduced prejudice and stereotype, prosperity is evident and social interaction.
References
Ashmore, R. D., " Del Boca, F. K. (1981). Conceptual approaches to stereotypes and stereotyping. Cognitive processes in stereotyping and intergroup behavior, 1, 35.
Devine, P. G. (1989). Stereotypes and prejudice: Their automatic and controlled components. Journal of personality and social psychology, 56(1), 5.
Dovidio, J. F., Glick, P., " Rudman, L. A. (Eds.). (2008). On the nature of prejudice: Fifty years after Allport. John Wiley " Sons.
Fiske, S. T. (2000). Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination at the seam between the centuries: Evolution, culture, mind, and brain. European Journal of Social Psychology, 30(3), 299-322.
Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674.
