IS PREJUDICE INEVITABLE? TECHNIQUES TO COUNTER PREJUDICE AND ITS EFFECTS

 

Given that prejudice is common in all human societies and exerts damaging effects both on the victims and on those who hold such views, the important question to address is ‘Is it possible to remove prejudice? What steps can be taken to do this? Considering the growing prejudice among people over religion, region, language, race, it seems almost like prejudice is inevitable. But stereotyping and prejudice can be definitely reduced to a large extent by becoming aware and educating ourselves. And with concentrated multi-pronged approach we can do many things to counter prejudice. 

 1. Teaching children Acceptance Instead of Bigotry (narrowmindedness) : Homes and schools are places where children learn to get their generalizations leading to stereotypes. It is the responsibility of parents, teachers to bring their children up with acceptance and positive attitudes towards other groups and be role models. Because often the attitudes and prejudiced notions are not necessarily taught but ‘caught’ from adults and the environment the children operate in. There is sufficient evidence, today that teachers can be victims of bias and prejudice and can reflect in their classrooms.

 2. Teaching children from an early age to respect all groups : We must teach children, including ones very different from their own - prejudice can be nipped in the bud or at least curbed. Valuing Diversity is very important. Ethnocentrism should be discouraged. The education of young children should promote respect for a multicultural society and tolerance and acceptance virtures that need to be developed quite consciously. 

 3. Increased Intergroup Contact : This is based on the Contact hypothesis: the theory that direct contact between hostile groups will reduce prejudice. Recent findings indicate that if people merely know that friendly contacts between members of 83 their own group and members of various out groups (groups in which we do not belong) is possible, their prejudice towards these groups can be sharply reduced. E.g., The various Mohalla committees that operate in different areas after the 1992 communal riots in Mumbai are based on this reasoning that increased inter-group contact can remove prejudice and hatred. However, there are some conditions like the groups interacting must be roughly equal in status, the contact situation must involve cooperation and not competition. They should work towards shared goals and the setting should help them understand each other better. In short, direct inter-group contact can be an effective tool to combat cross-group prejudice. 

 4. Recategorization: redrawing the boundary between ‘Us and Them’: Once individuals mentally include people, they once excluded from their ingroup (groups in which we belong) within it, prejudice toward them may disappear. Reminding people that they are part of large groups - for instance, that they are all Indians, Americans Canadians or even human beings - can help accomplish this kind of recategorization. 

 5. Undermining-Stereotypes: Stereotypes suggest that all persons belonging to specific social groups alike - they share the same characteristics. Such beliefs can be weakened if people are encouraged to think about others as individuals not simply as members of social groups. Also, some evidence suggests that affirmative action programs in schools and colleges, offices may actually encourage positive perceptions and the persons who benefit from them will look at people and events more objectively. This will serve to counter prejudice by undermining(deflating) stereotypes. There must be an effort to look down upon people with prejudiced attitudes. 

 6. Reducing Prejudice through Cognitive interventions: Weakening stereotypes: Stereotypes involve category-driven processing -- thinking about others in terms of their membership in social categories or groups. Stereotypes can be reduced if persons can be made to engage in attribute-driven processing -- thinking about the unique characteristics of individuals and objective judgment. 

 7. Cooperative activities: Cooperative activities such as team building exercises, workshops involving games that help to remove bias and prejudice should be carried out in schools, colleges, work places, etc. It is a good way to reduce animosity and bitterness that stems from low self esteem and stereotyped attitudes. Thus, non-competitive contact between in and out groups on terms of equal status and the pursuit of common, 84 superordinate goals which are attainable by cooperation is the way forward.

 8. Media responsibility : Instead of perpetuating stereotypes the media should take responsibility to remove prejudices and negative attitudes. It is the responsibility of every individual to be aware of the stereotypes and take care so as to not to discriminate and create a more equitable society.

 9. Role of educational institutions: Educational inequality leads to bias and discrimination. High standards of educational experience, should be available to every student. In addition schools and colleges have to deal with so many other situations that cause prejudice and hatred. Efforts to address bias, prejudice and discrimination should be comprehensive in nature. Conclusion : There is no single correct way to eliminate stereotypes. And indeed it is not possible to eliminate all stereotypes. In fact sometimes stereotypes help to add humor in our lives. It is only when the stereotypes result in harmful, negative attitudes that leads to hatred and discrimination and takes away the ability to see reason then the stereotype becomes detrimental to society.

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