Why do we hold negative attitudes toward people from different social groups?
In short: Humanity is defined by diversity, yet our brains often struggle to reconcile differences. This friction can manifest as prejudice—a negative feeling toward an individual based solely on their group membership. Understanding the mechanics of these biases is essential to understanding the roots of human conflict and social division.
To understand social friction, psychologists distinguish between three distinct concepts: prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. Prejudice is defined as a negative attitude or feeling toward an individual based strictly on their membership in a specific social group. This phenomenon is not limited to a single region; it occurs globally, manifesting in historical examples such as the 1939 'No Entrance for Poles!' signs in German-occupied Poland or the racial segregation seen in Oklahoma during the same year.
These biases are often driven by the way social groups help form our identities, a concept explored by researchers such as Tajfel in 1974. This can lead to in-group and out-group phenomena, where humans naturally categorize themselves and others. Such divisions can escalate into extreme human conflicts, including crime, war, and even genocide, as strangers develop intense animosity toward one another.
While these biases are pervasive, they are not immutable. Research suggests that prejudice is particularly common against members of unfamiliar cultural groups. However, social contact and education can mitigate these tendencies. Interestingly, even the mental exercise of imagining positive interactions with members of a different group has been shown to increase positive attitudes and the association of positive traits with that group.
Modern psychology also utilizes tools like the Implicit Association Test (IAT) to uncover these underlying biases, acknowledging that prejudice can exist even when individuals are not consciously aware of their immediate reactions.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Prejudice and Discrimination: Crash Course Psychology #39
- Also: Prejudice and Discrimination – Psychology
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