There are a wide variety of prejudices that exist in societies around the world, as well as consequences and behaviors influenced by those prejudices. Prejudice affects the daily lives of millions of people around the world. It is important to note that prejudice greatly influences what people expect from the future. Some people who act according to their prejudices do so with violence and crime, generating expenses for society, such as the cost of trials and social services provided to victims.
When prejudices are not recognized or confronted, they can negatively affect not only the lives of the victims but also those who have the prejudice, and ultimately society. In this Psychology-Online article we tell you How prejudice affects society.
Social prejudices: examples
Since prejudices are present in all societies in a complex way, at the very least, they will always have a series of consequences, even if subtle. For example, when people are acutely aware of the prejudices that others have toward them, the prejudice has a self-fulfilling effect. This means that people behave how others expect them to behave. Likewise, people who have a prejudice treat others differently based on how they expect others to behave or how they want others to behave.
Are behavioral expectations They are often based on stereotypes. Stereotypes are oversimplified prejudices related to physical or behavioral characteristics, usually exaggerated, that are supposedly applied to each member of that group.
Furthermore, people behave differently when they interact with one another, depending on whether or not they expect hostility from others. Studies have shown that a person who is a victim of stereotypes held by others may end up behaving like the stereotype. More generally, one person is likely to behave as the other person expects him or her to behave. All of these behaviors mean that prejudices affect the daily interactions that occur in a society.
Types of social prejudices and stereotypes
The consequences of everyday prejudices go beyond simply shaping relationships between people.
People are attacked by value judgments based in:
- The color of the skin
- The social class
- The gender
- sexual orientation
- Political opinions
- …
This constant exposure to ridicule and discrimination leads to a . Those who are victims of prejudice feel insecure about their place in society. They develop hatred and anger directed both toward those who are prejudiced against them and inward for having the supposed traits that attract such prejudice. Such prejudices are destructive for individuals and society. Furthermore, they also prevent these people from living up to their true potential.
Consequences of society’s prejudices
The prejudices of some people affect other people who are the objects of them and they condition your life. Social prejudices determine what those who suffer from prejudice think about the world, the people around them, how they feel about themselves, that is, life in general. Prejudices can have individual and social consequences:
Low performance
People who are exposed to stereotypes tend to guide their behavior based on them, affecting their performance. A concept called “stereotype threat”” explains this phenomenon. Numerous studies have found that when a member of a minority group is reminded of a stereotype about her or his group, she is more likely to underperform. A woman who reads a book claiming that women are innately bad at math when she has to perform math problems will probably make her score worse than she would otherwise. Stereotype threat is so strong that sometimes minorities do not need to be reminded of a stereotype.
Physical health problems
It should not surprise us that the discrimination is stressful for those who experience it. Doctors already know that stress increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, diabetes, and a host of other health and medical problems throughout life. New research suggests that stress related to discrimination may be even more dangerous.
A 2008 study found that, among African Americans, stress related to racial bias was a better predictor of health than other sources of stress. Racial minorities are more vulnerable to chronic health problems and terminal illnesses. Perhaps this is the direct result of a life of stress.
Mental health problems
Discrimination is inherently stressful, and stress increases a person’s risk of developing and similar mental health problems. Rates of anxiety are significantly higher among women than men, and women are more than twice as likely as men to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Although there are several factors that play a role in these differences, discrimination could be one.
Consumption of drugs
Discrimination can be a factor that increases the probability of drug use. One study found that having experienced gender discrimination increased the likelihood that a woman would use drugs, even when the woman did not report experiencing stress as a result of such discrimination.
Self sabotage
When people doubt their ability to perform well, they may develop self-esteem-friendly explanations for poor performance. A common mechanism is self sabotage. For example, a student who worries about her ability to do well on a test might go out drinking the night before so she can justify her poor performance with a hangover. Several recent studies have shown that the experience of discrimination increases the likelihood of self-sabotage and this in turn is linked to other mental health problems.
How to eliminate prejudices and stereotypes
In addition to looking at the reasons why prejudice occurs, research has also focused on the different ways in which prejudice can be reduced or even eliminated. Here are some things you can do to prevent or reduce bias:
- Empower people to be more empathic with members of other groups is a method that has proven to be effective. By imagining themselves in the same situation, people can think about how they would react and gain greater understanding of other people’s actions.
- Pass laws and regulations that require a fair and equitable treatment for all groups of people
- Get support and increase public awareness on social norms against harm
- Make people aware of the inconsistencies in their own beliefs
- Greater contact with members of other social groups
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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