STEREOTYPES AND PREJUDICE AS BARRIERS

-          STEREOTYPES

The broader term commonly used to refer to negative or positive judgments made about individuals based on any observable or believed group membership. Stereotypes can be positive or negative

-          PROFILING

Refers to a law enforcement practice of scrutinizing certain individuals based on characteristics thought to indicate a likehood of criminal behaviour. Just perceptions based on physical appearance.

-          NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON COMMUNICATION

1. Cause us to assume that a widely held belief is true when it may not be.

2. Continued use of the stereotype reinforces the belief.

3. Stereotypes also impede communication when they cause us to assume that a widely held belief is true of any one individual.

4. The stereotype can become a “self-fulfilling prophecy” for the person stereotyped.

-    PREJUDICE

Prejudice refers to the irrational dislike, suspicion, or hatred of a particular group, race, religion, or sexual orientation (Rothenberg, 1992).

Negative opinions, unreasonable, just judge without knowledge.

-          RACE

1.      A group, especially of people, with particular similar physical characteristics, who are considered as belonging to the same type.

2.      Physical differences of human e.g. : color of skin, texture of hair, etc.

-          RACISM

1.      Any policy, practice, belief, or attitude that attributes characteristics or status to individuals based on their race.

2.      The belief that people’s qualities are influenced by their race and that the members of other races are not as good as the members of your own, or resulting unfair treatment of members of other races.

-          SPREAD OF PREJUDICE AND RACISM

Prejudice and racism  are commonly viewed as being rooted in the child’s early socialization and fostered  in communication  with other people who are prejudiced or racist (Adorno et al., 1950).

-          THE PERSISTENCE OF PREJUDICE

1. Socialization

2. Social benefits

3. Economic benefits

4. Psychologist benefits

-    HATE SPEECH

1. Hate speech>>speech which can cue prejudiced behavior.
2. Hate speech includes threats or verbal slurs directed against specific groups or physical acts such as burning crosses or spray-painting swastikas on public or private property (Walker, 1994)
3. Example:

"The Palestinians are like crocodiles, the more you give them meat, they want more".... Ehud Barak, Prime Minister of Israel at the time - August 28, 2000. Reported in the Jerusalem Post August 30, 2000

-          HATE CRIME

Hate crime is a legal term that describes criminal acts motivated by prejudice. The term ethno violence is a broader term that describes acts of intimidation whether or not deemed illegal.

-          POSITIVE APPROACHES

1. Cultural Norms

Cultural norms can minimize the public expression of discriminatory or otherwise interracially insensitive behavior.

2. Media

Media have been used as a tool to confront prejudice and racism first by reporting forms of human rights abuses and second by portraying all groups fairly.