Reading:  Module 4 of Exploring Social Psychology

Prejudice is something that is extremely prevalent in our present day society, just as it has been in past years as well. Society has many different views, and attitudes concerning prejudice. Society confirms prejudicial attitudes by allowing things to conform to it. For example, due to the many terroristic attacks on our country the way Muslims are now treated is sad, and wrong. The country has confirmed this prejudice through some of our leaders and media sources.   One’s social identity can absolutely contribute to prejudice through the way we teach our children to treat others. Prejudice springs from unequal status and from other social sources, including our acquired values and attitudes. The influence of family socialization appears in children’s prejudices, which often mirror those perceived in their mothers (Exploring Psychology 2014, pp. 258). Children who learn prejudice from their parents often end up exhibiting this behavior in public settings like school, and playgrounds. I feel the greatest emotion that encourages prejudicial attitudes is anger. More often than not prejudice is fueled by some type of hatred or anger towards another person for a reason the aggressor has deemed purposeful   I think the greatest was we use cognitive processes to influence prejudice is through assigning labels to other people. Somehow this form of organization makes us feel better about ourselves. We find it useful to put people, ourselves included, into categories. To label someone as a Hindu, a Scot, or a bus driver is a shorthand way of saying some other things about the person (Exploring Psychology, 2014 pp.262).

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READING: Module 4 of Exploring Social Psychology