PSYC12H3 Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Document Summary
Both prejudice and discrimination can be seen as uniquely twentieth-century concepts, becoming prominent in the social sciences only in the 1920s. Before, prejudice was viewed not as a social problem or a scientific construct; instead negative intergroup attitudes were seen as natural and inevitable responses to group differences. The cognitive perspective could account for intergroup bias, stereotyping, and competition in minimal group situations where socio-cultural or personality factors didn"t operate. These shifts in emphasis don"t seem to be fully explained in terms of evolution of knowledge. Older perspectives and theories were not refuted, or even shown to be seriously inadequate. Fundamental shifts of interest away from issues concerning the causes of prejudice to new or different ones, which require different theories and perspectives. Historical events and circumstances can have more profound effects on thinking about prejudice than merely shifting interest to new research topics.
