What is Prejudice? What are the Causes of Prejudice?

in blurt-192372 •  22 hours ago 

Hello friends,

Prejudice refers to forming a value judgment about someone or something without having enough information. The exact origin of the word is unclear. Prejudice influences our beliefs, behaviors, and emotions; it is essentially an attitude.

When you find yourself in an unfamiliar social group, you might instinctively start to categorize people based on their body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, or the topics they discuss.

You may perceive those who smile often as friendly, while those who appear calm might seem distant or reserved.

If you're interested in talking, you’re likely to approach the friendlier individuals. This collection of observations and thoughts reflects prejudice.

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Although it may appear meaningless or harmful, prejudices can significantly impact life decisions. For instance, first impressions during job interviews or initial dates often involve many biased judgments.

Nonverbal cues like body language and facial expressions provide important insights for employers. These first encounters largely determine whether a person is seen as having the necessary social skills for the desired position.

Another example is zodiac signs, which might not seem relevant, but are frequently referenced.

A zodiac sign indicates the sun's position at a person's birth and is represented by 12 animals. People are taught to identify their sign based on their birth date.

Common sayings associated with zodiac signs include "Aries are impulsive" or "Capricorns are hardworking."

Many individuals base their romantic choices on such stereotypes. However, there is no scientific evidence linking personality traits to birth dates.

Humans naturally categorize information to make sense of it. This tendency simplifies our understanding but can lead to generalizations. For example, we might label all four-legged animals with tails as "cats."

As we accumulate these types of generalizations, we build stereotypes around social situations, nature, and relationships.

As these stereotypes grow stronger, they can lead to prejudices. The concepts of in-groups and out-groups found in social psychology can also foster stereotypes.

People often draw distinctions between their own group and "others." These categorizations of the unknown feed prejudice and stereotypes.

In everyday life, we act according to many prejudices, whether we realize it or not. When these prejudices turn aggressive, they can result in discrimination.

While our judgments and generalizations are part of life, they can become harmful to ourselves and those around us when they become extreme.


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