Over 50 years of research on prejudice has identified dozens of strategies that effectively reduce stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination. However, very few studies have examined if any of these strategies reduce bias when used directly by a stigmatized target. A few studies show that when stigmatized targets attempt to reduce bias by blatantly confronting people, or by presenting counter-stereotypic attributes, outgroup perceivers are threatened and motivated to retaliate against the target (Czopp & Montieth, 2003; Rudman & Glick, 2001). The Target Empowerment Model (or TEM) provides a framework for addressing these problems. The TEM proposes that targets can blatantly challenge bias in others if they first use strategies that diffuse perceptions of threat, like asking self-affirming questions (Stone et al., 2010). Using a social networking paradigm, three experiments tested the effects of asking self-affirming questions, confronting through perspective taking, and the combination of these strategies, on the biases expressed toward an Arab American target individual. Experiment 1 showed that when an Arab American target challenged perceivers by asking them to take their perspective, highly prejudiced participants showed increased dislike and distancing relative to a neutral question control condition. Experiment 2 showed that as predicted by the TEM, distancing in high prejudiced individuals was significantly reduced if the target first asked questions designed to affirm the perceiver's sense of fairness prior to insisting on perspective taking. Experiment 3 demonstrated that when the target affirmed prejudiced perceivers on values related to creativity prior to implementing a perspective taking strategy, perceivers showed less dislike and distancing compared to using either affirmation or perspective-taking strategies alone. In addition, reductions in the negative emotions directed at the target partially mediated the relationship between the use of different TEM strategies and distancing from the target. Taken together, these studies support the TEM predictions that stigmatized targets can effectively challenge prejudiced perceivers to reduce their biases if they first use a subtle bias reduction strategy that reduces perceptions of threat.

Investigated in this study was whether a university education course that covers the topics of diversity and cultural responsiveness would change teacher candidates\' existing prejudicial attitudes.  The major variables reported in this study were exposure to diversity coursework which served as the independent variable and teacher candidates\' prejudicial attitudes, which served as the dependent variable. Using the Yoder-Hartman Survey of Beliefs Scale, three research questions were addressed: (a) Are there differences in prejudice level between preservice teachers who have taken a diversity course and those who have not taken a diversity course? (b) Are there differences in prejudice level in preservice teachers before and after taking a diversity course? and (c) Do preservice teachers who have taken a diversity course and those who have not taken a diversity course display different pre/post levels of assessed prejudice? No differences were found between students who had taken a diversity course and those who had not. The current study suggests that one diversity course is not sufficient to have a significant effect on prejudice reduction among preservice teachers. Analyses of the current study results suggest that the coursework designed to reduce prejudicial attitudes was ineffective. Continued investigation will be required to: (1) refine and develop a program that will reduce prejudicial attitudes among teacher candidates and (2) refine and develop measures of prejudice reduction. / Ph. D.

Lesbian and gay college students face heterosexist and homophobic attitudes and behaviors from their heterosexual peers (Burn, 2000; Fine, 2011; Franklin, 2000; Rankin, 2003; Silverschanz, Cortina, Konik, & Magley, 2008; Woodford, Howell, Silverschanz, & Yu, 2012; & Yost & Gilmore, 2011). Greek fraternity and sorority organizations can contribute to and influence the heterosexist and homophobic climate on college campuses. Greek organizations offer leadership opportunities, community engagement, and a sense of belonging, but these organizations can also perpetuate a climate of hostility and rejection of lesbian and gay peers (Case, 1996; Case, Hesp, & Eberly, 2005; DeSantis, 2007; Rankin et al., 2007; Windmeyer, 2005; Windmeyer & Freeman, 1998, 2001). As a result of the prejudice seen on college campuses, prejudice reduction interventions have been conducted with college students to reduce prejudiced attitudes toward lesbian and gay individuals. Recent research indicates that reducing prejudice does not necessarily cultivate ally behaviors toward stigmatized outgroups (Pittinsky, 2012). Some research suggests that, compared to lower levels of prejudice, positive feelings (allophilia) toward minority groups better predict supportive behaviors toward those outgroups. Using an expanded positive-focused conceptual framework, the current study tested the impact of one empathic joy focused intervention and one values affirmation focused intervention on reducing prejudiced attitudes toward lesbians and gay men, cultivating positive feelings and attitudes toward lesbians and gay men, fostering lesbian and gay affirming social justice competency, and cultivating attitudes toward social justice in a sample of fraternity and sorority college student leaders (N = 106). The current study also compared the effectiveness of these two positive focused interventions to a traditional anti-heterosexism prejudice reduction intervention (e.g., Blumenfeld, 1992). Findings from this study illustrated significant pre-intervention to post-intervention changes within the empathic joy and the anti-heterosexism intervention groups on positive attitudes toward lesbians and gay men, positive behavioral intentions toward lesbians and gay men, and positive attitudes toward social justice. Implications of the research findings for future research on effective diversity training and social justice leadership development on college campuses, and particularly within Greek life, are discussed.

<p>  </p> <p>Interpersonal confrontations are a powerful prejudice reduction strategy. However, they often come with social costs, or negative interpersonal consequences, for the confronter (e.g., dislike; Czopp et al., 2006). Across three studies, the present research examines whether and how interpersonal trust reduces the social costs typically associated with confrontation. Study 1 showed that the more participants trusted their confronter, the less negative their evaluations of their partner. Negative other-directed affect mediated this effect. Study 2 provided causal evidence that trust buffered confrontation’s social costs: Participants who underwent a trust-building exercise with their confronter reported fewer social costs than participants who did not. Finally, Study 3 showed that the effect of trust on social costs extends to an ecologically valid context: Confrontees reported fewer social costs in dyads with greater pre-existing trust (i.e., friends) than dyads with less pre-existing trust (i.e., strangers). The effect of trust on social costs was again mediated by negative other-directed affect. Overall, the present research integrates the confrontation and close relationship literatures to provide theoretically-novel and practically-important insight on how to reduce confrontation-related social costs.</p>

Beyond the Stereotype of Black Homophobia: Exploring the Potential of Black Allies for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Students Strides at the federal and state levels are being made to improve the overall climate for gay rights and relationships across the country. However, despite greater acceptance, legislative victories and visibility of gay rights and relationships, homophobia is still widespread in American society (Fone, 2000; Jenkins, Lambert, & Baker, 2009; Schroeder, 2004). No matter the environment, homophobic attitudes permeate all aspects of the US culture, leading to prejudicial attitudes and inequalities that affect everyone in society. Unfortunately, some of these prejudicial attitudes lead to instituting laws that are inherently homophobic (HRC, n.d.). Trends illustrate that more people are coming out at a younger age in society, creating a larger number of `out' students on college campuses. However, the increase in `out' students has also led to an increase of prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation more visible on college campuses (Cannick, 2007; D'Augelli & Rose, 1990; Jenkins et al., 2009). Current research indicates Black college students are more likely than other college students to hold negative attitudes toward LGB students. The purpose of this research was to explore and describe perceptions and feelings of Black college students toward LGB students. A qualitative online survey using open and close-ended questions was sent out nationally to a number of college campuses to solicit responses. Major findings include the following: 1) participants have the potential to be allies for and hold positive perceptions of LGB identified students, 2) contact with LGB individuals affects the participants' ability to have more positive perceptions, and 3) participants are receptive to engage in conversations about LGB related issues. Implications of this study suggest collaboration among multicultural offices and other campus constituents for social and academic related programming. In addition, there is a need to provide a space for potential student allies to feel supported and engage in their own self-reflection and learning on how to create community among individuals that hold multiple social identities.

No description available.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Intergroup contact has proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce prejudice and improve attitudes towards an outgroup (e.g., Allport, 1954; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). The present study investigated the extent to which positive intergroup contact (namely cross-group friendships) with coloured South African students are associated with positive attitudes towards not only coloured South Africans in general (the primary outgroup), but also towards black (African) South Africans in general (a secondary outgroup). As such, the present study focused on testing the secondary transfer effect of intergroup contact (Lolliot et al., 2013; Pettigrew, 2009). A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used to explore the secondary transfer effect of intergroup contact via the processes of empathy and attitude generalisation. Data were collected amongst white South African students at Stellenbosch University (N = 551), via an electronic survey. The findings from the present study show that cross-group friendships with coloured South African students (primary outgroup) positively and significantly predicted more positive attitudes towards coloured South Africans in general, and that these effects generalised towards black (African) South Africans in general (secondary outgroup), after controlling for general contact with this secondary outgroup. These findings support the secondary transfer effect of contact. Moreover, the results show that the secondary transfer effect occurs via the processes of empathy and attitude generalisation. This research contributes to the relatively sparse body of literature exploring the secondary transfer effect and the underlying processes mediating this effect. Knowing how positive attitudes generalise from one outgroup to other outgroups could offer practical means for shaping intergroup contact interventions that aim to reduce prejudice and improve intergroup relations, especially in the post-conflict South African context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Daar is bewys dat intergroep kontak een van die doeltreffendste maniere is om vooroordeel te verminder en houdings teenoor 'n uitgroep te verbeter (b.v., Allport, 1954; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). Die huidige studie ondersoek tot watter mate positiewe intergroep kontak (naamlik kruis-groep vriendskappe) met bruin/kleurling Suid-Afrikaanse studente verband hou met positiewe houdings nie net teenoor bruin/kleurling Suid-Afrikaners oor die algemeen nie (die primêre uitgroep), maar ook teenoor swart Suid-Afrikaners in die algemeen (‘n sekondêre uitgroep). Na aanleiding hiervan fokus die huidige studie om die sekondêre oordrag effek van intergroep kontak te toets (Lolliot et al., 2013; Pettigrew, 2009). 'n Kwantitatiewe, deursnee-ontwerp was gebruik om die sekondêre oordrag effek van intergroep kontak te verken, via die prosesse van empatie- en houding-veralgemening. Die data was onder wit Suid-Afrikaanse studente by Stellenbosch Universiteit (N = 551) ingesamel deur middel van ‘n elektroniese vraelys. Die bevindinge van die huidige studie toon dat kruis-groep vriendskappe met bruin/kleurling Suid-Afrikaanse studente (primêre uitgroep) positief en beduidend meer positiewe houdings teenoor bruin/kleurling Suid-Afrikaners in die algemeen voorspel en dat hierdie effekte veralgemeen na swart Suid-Afrikaners in die algemeen (sekondêre uitgroep) nadat daar kontrole gehou is oor die algemene kontak met hierdie sekondêre uitgroep. Hierdie bevindinge ondersteun die sekondêre oordrag effek van intergroep kontak. Die bevindinge bewys ook dat die sekondêre oordrag effek plaasvind deur die prosesse van empatie- en houding-veralgemening. Hierdie navorsing dra by tot die relatief yl beskikbare literatuur wat die sekondêre oordrag effek ondersoek, asook die onderliggende prosesse wat hierdie effek bemiddel. Die wete hoe positiewe houdings van een uitgroep na ander uitgroepe veralgemeen, kan prakties aangewend word tot intergroep kontak intervensies wat poog om vooroordeel te verminder en tussengroep-verhoudings te verbeter, veral in die post-konflik Suid-Afrikaanse konteks.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The contact hypothesis (Allport, 1954) provides an established theoretical framework for pursuing positive intergroup relationships (Hewstone & Swart, 2011; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006) and stipulates certain optimal conditions under which contact reduces prejudice. The secondary transfer effect of contact describes a process whereby attitudes towards outgroups not encountered in the original intergroup encounter might also be improved (Pettigrew, 2009; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). A three-wave longitudinal experimental study amongst white South African students at Stellenbosch University (N = 58) was undertaken, using two experimental groups (direct and extended) and a control group. The present study investigated whether direct and extended contact with a black (African) confederate would not only improve attitudes towards black (African) South Africans in general, but also improve attitudes towards Indian South Africans, not involved in the contact situation (i.e., the secondary transfer effect). Findings show that the experimentally manipulated contact reduced intergroup anxiety (from baseline levels measured one week earlier) towards black (African) South Africans. These effects were, however, non-significant, and suggest the present study may have been under-powered. Moreover, the findings showed that experimentally manipulated contact significantly improved outgroup attitudes and outgroup trust (from baseline levels measured one week earlier) towards black (African) South Africans in the direct contact condition, as well as the extended contact condition (outgroup attitudes only). Finally, the present study found significant evidence for the operation of the secondary transfer effect via attitude generalisation. Positive intergroup contact with the black (African) South African confederate predicted a significant change in outgroup attitudes towards black (African) South Africans in general from Time 1 (baseline) to Time 2 (post-task), which in turn predicted more positive attitudes towards Indian South Africans in general at Time 2, controlling for prior quantity and quality of contact with Indian South Africans. The secondary transfer effect was not observed for outgroup trust. The present study contributes to the existing literature on the secondary transfer effect and replicates international findings within the South African context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die kontak hipotese (Allport, 1954) bied ʼn gevestigde teoretiese raamwerk vir die voortsetting van positiewe intergroep verhoudings (Hewstone & Swart, 2011; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006) en bepaal sekere optimale toestande waaronder kontak vooroordeel verminder. Die sekondȇre oordrag effek van kontak beskryf ʼn proses waardeur houdings teenoor buitegroepe wat nie gedurende die oorspronklike intergroep kontak teёgekom is nie, ook verbeter word (Pettigrew, 2009; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). ʼn Drie-golf longitudinale eksperimentele studie onder wit Suid-Afrikaanse studente verbonde aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch (N = 58) is onderneem, met behulp van twee eksperimentele groepe (direkte en uitgebreide) en ʼn kontrole groep (N = 16). Die huidige studie het ondersoek of direkte en uitgebreide kontak met ʼn swart (Afrikaan) Suid-Afrikaner nie net houdings teenoor swart (Afrikaan) Suid-Afrikaners in die algemeen verbeter nie, maar ook houdings teenoor Indiёr Suid-Afrikaners, wie nie by die oorspronklike kontak situasie betrokke was nie ook verbeter (d.w.s. die sekondȇre oordrag effek). Resultate toon dat die eksperimenteel gemanipuleerde kontak intergroep angs teenoor swart (Afrikaan) Suid-Afrikaners verminder (vanaf basislyn vlakke gemeet een week tevore). Hierdie effek is egter nie beduidend nie, moontlik omdat die statistiese kragdoeltreffendheid van die studie onvoldoende was. Die resultate toon verder dat eksperimenteel gemanipuleerde kontak buitegroep houdings en buitegroep vertroue (vanaf basislyn vlakke gemeet een week tevore) teenoor swart (Afrikaan) Suid-Afrikaners beduidend verbeter in die direkte kontak groep, sowel as die uitgebreide kontak groep (slegs vir buitegroep houdings). Ten slotte, die huidige studie het beduidende bewyse gevind vir die werking van die sekondȇre oordrag effek via houding veralgemening. Positiewe intergroep kontak met die swart (Afrikaan) Suid-Afrikaner voorspel ʼn beduidende verbetering in die buitegroep houding teenoor swart (Afrikaan) Suid-Afrikaners in die algemeen van Tyd 1 (basislyn) tot Tyd 2 (na die eksperimentele manipulasie), wat op sy beurt meer positiewe houdings teenoor Indiёr Suid-Afrikaners in die algemeen teen Tyd 2 voorspel, nadat daar vir beide kwaliteit en kwantiteit van vorige kontak met Indiёr Suid-Afrikaners beheer is. Die sekondȇre oordrag effek is nie vir buitegroep vertroue waargeneem nie. Die huidige studie dra by tot die bestaande literatuur oor die sekondȇre effek van kontak en ondersteun soortgelyke internasionale bevindinge binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Stellenbosch University.

La ricerca affronta il tema delle manifestazioni di “pensiero prevenuto” nell’ambiente digitale, spesso collegate a performance razziste “banalizzate” e socialmente condivise. Per individuare risposte educative specifiche e buone prassi di intervento, è necessario analizzare le diverse forme assunte dal pregiudizio in Rete alla luce degli aspetti affettivo-emotivi e non solo razionali. L’ambiente di ricerca è il Web 2.0, inteso come “realtà aumentata”, ovvero uno spazio non contrapposto al reale ma segnato dalle proprie specificità. Si è individuato un corpus di “razzismi online” da sottoporre a un’analisi di tipo qualitativo-testuale attraverso il software T-Lab e, in parallelo, a un’analisi di tipo qualitativo-motivazionale. I risultati ottenuti sono stati quindi interpretati alla luce di una duplice bibliografia: da un lato quella della pedagogia interculturale e degli studi classici sui razzismi, dall’altro quella sulle caratteristiche del digitale, della pragmatica della comunicazione online e della Media Education. Durante la ricerca si sono inoltre svolte – con esiti differenti – alcune conversazioni via Ask.fm con adolescenti contattati poiché, in vario modo, avevano preso parte a performance razziste; oltre che come caso studio di etnografia virtuale, viene proposto come esperimento di educazione alla riflessività. Si noterà come dalla banalizzazione delle tesi razziste e dalla deresponsabilizzazione dello “stare in Rete” deriva un recupero implicito dell’istanza biologica, su basi non scientifiche, svuotate di senso, ma paradossalmente accettate e interiorizzate. D’altro canto, si incontrano svariati esempi di attivazione di “cittadini digitali”; anche a partire da questo “capitale antirazzista”, si sottolineerà il ruolo dell’educazione alla cittadinanza – interculturale, digitale e morale – nel formare soggetti e agenti morali nella mediapolis, affermando il valore della responsabilità verso gli altri. / The study deals with the topic of manifestations of “prejudiced thought” in the digital environment, which are often linked with “banalised” racist and socially shared performances. In order to identify specific educational responses and good practices of intervention, the various forms taken by prejudice on the Web in the light of affective-emotive, and not only rational, aspects have to be analysed. The research environment is Web 2.0, understood as “augmented reality”, i.e. a space that is not opposed to reality but marked by its own specificities. A corpus of “online racism” has been identified to be submitted to a qualitative-textual analysis through T-Lab software and, in parallel, a qualitative-motivational type of analysis. The results obtained were then interpreted in the light of a dual bibliography: on the one hand that of intercultural pedagogy and classic studies on racism, on the other that on the characteristics of the digital environment, the pragmatics of online communication and of Media Education. Some conversations were also carried out during the research – with different outcomes – via Ask.fm with adolescents contacted as, in various ways, they had taken part in racist performances; as well as a case study of virtual ethnography, this is proposed as an experiment on education on reflectivity. It will be noticed how an implicit recovery of the biological question, with non-scientific bases, emptied of meaning, but paradoxically accepted and internalised, derives from the banalisation of racist theories and the lack of a sense of responsibility of “being on the Web”. On the other hand, several examples of activating “digital citizens” are encountered; from this “antiracist capital” as well, the role of education for citizenship – intercultural, digital and moral – in forming subjects and moral agents in the mediapolis, asserting the value of responsibility towards others, will also be emphasised.

偏見不只影響遭受者的身心健康，也違背社會正義，為了改善這樣的狀況，研究者們致力於發展降低偏見的方案。不過這些降低偏見的方案通常針對種族或性別群體，卻甚少關心肥胖者與愛滋感染者。肥胖者、愛滋感染者不僅受研究社群忽視，他們在生活中亦不受重視（如醫療體系），因此本論文著眼降低人們對肥胖者、愛滋感染者的偏見。研究一發展降低偏見方案，透過撰寫支持肥胖者或愛滋感染者的短文，引發人們言行不一的認知失調感，可能進而改變其原本對肥胖者或愛滋感染者的偏見。研究一的結果顯示，只有撰寫愛滋主題的參與者其愛滋偏見分數低於其他組別，也就是說他們的行為違反本身對愛滋感染者的既有態度而產生認知失調，透過降低愛滋偏見來化解認知失調之不適感。不過，撰寫肥胖主題的參與者，其肥胖偏見分數則與各組無異，也就是說這種降低偏見的方案對肥胖者的偏見無影響。預試二發現，相對於愛滋感染者，肥胖者通常被視為較可控制自己身屬於該社會群體的命運（可控制性），且其較需為自己的遭遇負責。為了檢視人們認為肥胖者與愛滋感染者可控制性的差異，是否影響偏見方案的效果，研究二除了改良研究一的降低偏見方案外，更操弄可控制性的高低。研究二發現可控制性會調節降低偏見方案的效果－當人們認為成為愛滋感染者是自己可以控制時，降低偏見方案的效果較弱；反之，若人們認為成為愛滋感染者是自己不能控制的，則降低偏見的效果較強。不過，撰寫肥胖主題文章的參與者則無此效果。這樣的差異或許是因為人們對肥胖者與愛滋感染者的熟悉程度有所不同。相較於愛滋感染者，人們對肥胖者較為熟悉，對其態度不容易改變，不論是接受高可控或低可控的訊息操弄，都無法改變人們對肥胖者的想法。根據本論文結果，認知失調適合降低人們較不熟悉與視其較為不可控的社會群體，如愛滋感染者，不適合應用在人們較熟悉的社會群體，如肥胖者。本論文進一步討論降低偏見方案執行困難的原因，並提出可能的建議與後續的研究方向。 / Prejudice and discrimination may have negative consequences on subordinate group members’ physical and mental health, and prejudice and discrimination also violate social justice. To deal with these problems, researchers have dedicated to develop various interventions to counter prejudice and discrimination. However, most of these interventions focus on racial and gender minorities, and researchers largely ignore people with obesity and people with HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this thesis is to develop an intervention that could reduce prejudice against people with obesity, as well as to reduce prejudice against people with HIV/AIDS. According to cognitive dissonance theory, when people’s attitudes and behavior are inconsistent, they feel uncomfortable and in turn change their attitudes to eliminate the inconsistency (Festinger, 1957). Following the basic ideas in cognitive dissonance theory, in Study 1, I randomly assigned participants to write presumably counter-attitudinal essays, in which they write about people with obesity or people with HIV/AIDS (to advocate allocating more resources to them), or school policy change (a control group). The results showed that after writing about people with HIV/AIDS, participants displayed significantly lower prejudice against people with HIV/AIDS than participants in other conditions. However, after writing about people with obesity, participants’ prejudice against people with obesity remained at similar levels as participants in other conditions. According to findings in the second pilot study, the diverging findings in Study 1 may be due to that people with obesity were considered having more controllability and responsibility than people with HIV/AIDS. To further explore the effects of levels of controllability on intervention, I revised Study 1’s intervention and added a manipulation of controllability on people with obesity or on people with HIV/AIDS. The findings showed that controllability manipulation moderated the intervention effect on people with HIV/AIDS, but had no effect on people with obesity. Because participants were more familiar with people with obesity than with people with HIV/AIDS, it is possible that attitudes toward a familiar social group are more difficult to be changed than the attitudes toward an unfamiliar social group, The results suggested that interventions based on cognitive dissonance principle have effects on unfamiliar social groups, such as people with HIV/AIDS. Obstacles with prejudice reduction interventions were further discussed; suggestions and future research directions were offered.