Prejudice can be defined as being an attitude, such as dislike towards a given minority. The following essay aims to outline and evaluate research studies into prejudice. A piece of research done by Sigall and Page (1971, cited in Baron and Byrne, 2003, pg 203) looked at an approach known as the ‘bogus pipeline’. The aim of this research was to look at social pressure and whether attitudes towards minority groups are indeed affected by this. Prejudice is mostly assessed through self- report questionnaires, responses to questionnaires are influenced by social desirability Bias, which is the tendency to give socially approved answers, (Eyesnck, 2000).
Methods of micro sociology include symbolic interactionism, phenomenology and ethnomethodology. However there is opposing argument as macro sociologists think the opposite as although they concentrate on individuals as well they also look at families and other larger groups in society in which an individual is part of. Weber a social action theorist believes people hold meanings about the world and consciously act on the basis of meaning. He saw behaviour in terms of the meanings people action to actions and classified them into four types. Instrumentally rational action is when a goal is not desirable but an induvidual still works out the best way to reach it.
Some of these relate to our individual differences whilst others relate to the situational factors we encounter. Individual differences are important personal factors such as gender, personality or culture that differentiate people. Individual differences between people may affect how they respond to situations where social influence is applied. Dispositional factors are individual differences including gender, age, ethnicity, self-esteem, personality, confidence and Locus of Control. The concept of Locus of control which was made by Rotter in 1966 refers to individual differences in people’s beliefs and expectations about what controls events in their lives.
Psychophysiology notes that “Self-serving attributions occur when negative personal outcomes are ascribed to external circumstances and when positive outcomes are ascribed to internal factors. Individuals strategically employ the self-serving bias to maintain and protect positive self-views. “(Page 511) Stereo Typing Brown, Rupert (2010). Prejudice: Its Social Psychology (2nd ed.). Stereotypes lead people to expect certain actions from members of social groups.
Society generally labels an individual as deviant if they differ from the social norms in appearance or behavior. Deviant acts not only change the way a
[pic] The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how social differences have become grounds for social exclusion. After a brief review of the definition of social exclusion, the paper will then show that social difference such as gender, social class, race and educational attainment have become grounds for social exclusion. The concept of social exclusion is relatively new, having been first introduced by Lenoir in 1974.There are many definitions of social exclusions. According to Levitas et al (2007) social exclusion occurs where different factors combine to trap individuals and areas in a spiral of disadvantage. Social exclusion is a dynamic process and can be transmitted from one generation to the next although not voluntary.
Assess the usefulness of subcultural theories in explaining ‘subcultural crime and deviance’ in society today. (21 marks) Subcultural theories explain the origins of deviance in terms of the position of the individuals or groups. In essence a subculture is a group that develops its own norms and values that differ to those held by members of wider society. Merton (1968) developed his Strain theory to provide an explanation for the existence of deviant behaviour within society. He believed it was as a result of the gap between the goals of success and the means by which they could be achieved.
This paper examines a variety of approaches by social control theorists. Early Control Theory One of the earliest known control theories was presented by Albert J. Reiss, Jr. in 1950. Reiss (1951) argued that delinquency was “behavior consequent to the failure of personal and social controls.” Reiss (1951) defined personal control as “the ability of the individual to refrain from meeting needs in ways which conflict with the norms and rules of the community” while social control was “the
2) Philosophy: perceiving their neighbor as self. 3) Sociology: treats all people with consideration, not just members of his or her in-group. 4) Religion: integral part of the history of this concept. What constitutes incivility: What constitutes incivility differs between cultures and even generations. A wide range of behaviors can be categorized as uncivil.
Myers (2010) provides an example as to how behavior is shaped by social influences making humans social creatures, “We speak and think in words we learned from others (Social psychology, p. 7). At times social environments or situations manipulate behaviors contrary to emotions, overpowering feelings and allowing the situation to guide behaviors. Another ideas of social psychology is that personal attitudes and depositions shape behavior, this describes the belief that inner attitudes and personalities