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Discuss any three causes of prejudice. Also, suggest two ways of missing prejudice.

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Prejudice is the negative attitude towards members of a particular social group based on their membership to the particular social group. There are several causes of prejudice- psychological, social and cultural. 

They are as follows : 

Social learning: Children acquire prejudices either by hearing or observing their parents, teachers, friends or others expressing prejudiced ideas and views. Children are adept in learning the prejudices when they are being rewarded or approved by others for expressing these views. Mass media like television,movies and newspaper play an active role in shaping the prejudices. For example often films portray a particular ethnic group in a negative light thereby leading to development of prejudice. 

Realistic Competition: Prejudice emerges from competition among different groups with respect to various opportunities and valued resources such as adequate living, proper job, educational prospects, health facilities and other desirable commodities. This view proposed that various competitions lead to rivalry, hatred, prejudice and inter-group conflicts within the society. This fact serves the basis of ‘Realistic Conflict Theory’ (Bobo, 1983). This theory states that when compe¬tition increases the members of different groups start to view others as enemy. They see themselves as morally superior. Gradually competition turns into prejudice. 

Social categorization: Another important cause of prejudice is categorization or labeling. People typically divide the social world into two discrete categories- ‘Us’ and ‘Them’. People are segregated as either belonging to their own group, termed as n- group or belonging to another group, termed as out-group. Such distinctions are based on many dimensions such as religion, race, age, sex, ethnic background, occupation, income and many other ways. Studies also indicate that the human mind usually views the members of the ‘us’ group more favourably than the members of the ‘them’ group. Generally people develop prejudice against the members of the ‘out-group’. 

Ways of resisting prejudice are as follows : 

Inter-group contact- Direct contact with members of other groups (out-group) help to combat stereotypes and resist prejudice. This fact is suggested by what is called contact hypothesis. It states that there are several reasons that prove proper contact with members of other groups may be effective in reducing prejudice against them. This is because increased contact between people belonging to different groups allows them to identify the similarities between them. These similarities generate positive feelings and likings towards the people of other groups. 

Even increased contact with out-group members help in altering the stereotypes when sufficient stereotypes inconsistent information is received. Also intergroup contact help to negate the rigid belief associated with stereotypes that all members of the stereotyped group are similar. 

Intergroup contact may resist prejudice under certain conditions like : 

• The groups interacting must belong to more or less same social status. 

• The contact between them must involve cooperation and interdependence. 

• Each group must view the members of out-group as typical to their respective group. 

• Contact must ensure that each group gets to know the members of out-group individually. 

Propaganda and education : Propaganda through newspaper, radio, television, movies is effective in reducing prejudice. Studies reveal that speakers are more effective than printed material; rational appeal is more effective than emotional appeal; oral propaganda is more effective in small groups than in large groups. Propaganda is more effective when the speaker is prestigious. Education makes people tolerant, socially adjusted and adaptive with all groups. Education enables a person to judge each and every individual as a human being having positive qualities. Thus educated people are more receptive to propaganda and are more flexible than less educated people.

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