Prejudice

Stereotypes can influence memory and perceptions of events in a number of ways. For example, stereotypes can lead to priming, which is the process by which exposure to a stimulus increases the likelihood that people will think about or respond to related stimuli. For example, if someone is primed with the stereotype that African Americans are more likely to be criminals, they may be more likely to see an African American person as a suspect in a crime.

Stereotypes can also lead to confirmation bias, which is the tendency to seek out information that confirms one's existing beliefs and to ignore or discount information that contradicts those beliefs. For example, if someone believes that African Americans are more likely to be criminals, they may be more likely to pay attention to news stories about crimes committed by African Americans and to ignore news stories about crimes committed by white people.

Common stereotypes of the specific minority groups explained in the training guide:

• African Americans: African Americans are often stereotyped as being more likely to be criminals, violent, and lazy.
• Latinos: Latinos are often stereotyped as being more likely to be criminals, illegal immigrants, and lazy.
• Asian Americans: Asian Americans are often stereotyped as being more likely to be smart, good at math and science, and quiet.
• Native Americans: Native Americans are often stereotyped as being alcoholics, drug addicts, and lazy.
• Muslims: Muslims are often stereotyped as being terrorists, extremists, and misogynistic.

How to differentiate those stereotypes from accurate descriptions of the minority groups:

It is important to remember that stereotypes are just that: stereotypes. They are generalizations about entire groups of people that are often inaccurate and harmful. It is important to judge individuals based on their own merits, not on stereotypes.

Here are some ways to differentiate stereotypes from accurate descriptions of minority groups:

• Be aware of your own biases. We all have biases, but it is important to be aware of them so that we can avoid letting them influence our judgment.
• Seek out information from a variety of sources. Don't rely on just one source of information, especially if it confirms your existing beliefs.
• Talk to people from minority groups. Get to know them as individuals and learn about their experiences.
• Be critical of information that you see in the media. The media often perpetuates stereotypes, so it is important to be critical of the information that you consume.

Principal psychological motivations underlying prejudice:

There are a number of psychological motivations underlying prejudice, including:

• Fear: People may be prejudiced against groups that they perceive as a threat. For example, people may be prejudiced against immigrants because they fear that they will take jobs away from native-born citizens.
• Uncertainty: People may be prejudiced against groups that they are unfamiliar with. For example, people may be prejudiced against Muslims because they are unfamiliar with Islam.
• Conformity: People may be prejudiced because they want to fit in with their social groups. For example, people may be prejudiced against African Americans because they live in a predominantly white neighborhood.
• Self-enhancement: People may be prejudiced against groups in order to make themselves feel better. For example, people may be prejudiced against people with disabilities in order to make themselves feel better about their own abilities.

Conclusion:

It is important to be aware of the dangers of prejudice and to actively work to combat it. We can all do our part to create a more just and equitable society by challenging stereotypes, educating ourselves about different cultures, and promoting diversity and inclusion.

The cautionary notice is given before users are directed to the FBI's Crime in the United States publication to remind users that the statistics in the publication should not be used to draw conclusions about the criminality of any individual or group. The notice also reminds users that the statistics in the publication are only one measure of crime and that other factors, such as social and economic conditions, can also play a role in crime rates.

Institutional prejudice is discrimination that is embedded in the policies and practices of institutions, such as law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system. Personal prejudice is discrimination that is based on individual attitudes and beliefs.