Stereotypes, Prejudices & Attribution Theories
📘 12.6: Stereotypes, Prejudices & Attribution Theories
🔹 Stereotypes
➤ Definition
Stereotypes are generalized and fixed beliefs about members of a particular group, often oversimplified and resistant to change.
E.g., “All bureaucrats are corrupt” or “Women are emotional, not logical.”
➤ Formation of Stereotypes
- Social Categorization (Tajfel):
- We simplify social world by categorizing people (e.g., gender, caste, region).
- Leads to ingroup (us) vs outgroup (them) thinking.
- Confirmation Bias:
- We remember information that confirms our stereotypes and ignore contradictions.
- Media Influence:
- Films and advertisements reinforce caste/class/gender stereotypes.
- Parental and Cultural Learning:
- Children absorb biases from adults and cultural narratives (e.g., “girls play with dolls”).
- Cognitive Economy:
- Stereotypes help process social info quickly but inaccurately.
🔹 Prejudice
➤ Definition
Prejudice is a negative emotional attitude toward an individual based solely on their group membership.
E.g., Disliking a person just because they belong to a particular religion or tribe.
➤ Formation of Prejudice
- Scapegoating:
- Frustration gets displaced onto weaker groups.
- E.g., Migrants being blamed for unemployment.
- Social Learning:
- Learned through family, peers, or media exposure.
- Intergroup Competition (Realistic Conflict Theory – Sherif):
- Prejudice increases when groups compete for scarce resources.
- Authoritarian Personality (Adorno):
- People with rigid, submissive personalities are more likely to develop prejudice.
🔍 Differences: Stereotype vs Prejudice
| Feature | Stereotype | Prejudice |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Cognitive (belief) | Affective (emotion) |
| Example | “South Indians are studious” | “I don’t like South Indians” |
| Flexibility | Can be neutral or positive | Always negative |
🔹 Theories of Attribution
➤ Definition
Attribution is how individuals explain causes of behavior — their own and others’.
1️⃣ Heider’s Attribution Theory
- People are “naïve psychologists” trying to determine the cause of behavior.
- Internal (dispositional) vs External (situational) attribution.
E.g., If an officer fails to meet a target:
- Internal: “He is lazy”
- External: “The system is flawed”
2️⃣ Jones and Davis – Correspondent Inference Theory
- People try to infer stable traits from observed behavior, especially if:
- Action is freely chosen
- Behavior is unexpected
- Behavior has unique consequences
3️⃣ Kelley’s Covariation Model
Attribution is made by examining:
- Consensus – Do others behave similarly?
- Distinctiveness – Does the person behave the same way in different situations?
- Consistency – Is the behavior repeated over time?
Example:
If Ramesh always gets angry at everyone (low distinctiveness, high consistency), we may attribute anger to his personality.
4️⃣ Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)
- Tendency to overestimate personal traits and underestimate situational factors when judging others.
E.g., “That clerk is rude” vs “Maybe he’s stressed today.”
5️⃣ Self-serving Bias
- Attributing success to self and failure to external factors.
E.g., “I cleared Prelims because I worked hard” vs “I failed Mains because of the paper.”
🎯 Applications in Indian Context
- Policy: Need to counter prejudice in areas like caste-based bias, gender roles, and regionalism.
- Administration: Officers must avoid attribution errors in performance assessment or conflict resolution.
- Education: Value education and inclusion programs must address stereotype formation from early childhood.
- Media: Responsible content creation that avoids reinforcing cultural or gender stereotypes.
🧠 Mnemonic: “SCARF”
- Stereotypes → Cognitive bias
- Categorization → Root of generalizations
- Attribution theories → Explain causes
- Realistic conflict → Intergroup prejudice
- Fundamental error → Over-blame individuals
✍️ UPSC Answer Writing Tip
- Define each term (Stereotype, Prejudice, Attribution)
- Mention 2–3 theories each with examples
- Include differences and Indian examples
- Conclude with administrative relevance and how public servants should guard against these biases
