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Social Biases

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Submitted By knkitty
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Social Biases
University of Phoenix
Dr. Kinsey
August 20, 2012

Social Biases In today’s society social biases can be a problem because many people may look down on another person or group. People and groups can look down on another person believing he or she is better than the other. This type of social influence that some groups may have can generate common biases. Social biases can hinder interaction between people and become very damaging to people (Fiske, 2010). “Just as aggression research reveals the basic social psychology of processes that can prove deadly, the research on bias reveals processes that are demonstrably unhealthy and sometimes deadly for both agents and targets of bias” (Fiske, 2010, p. 428). Characterizing a specific way of thinking or the way a person is being view is sometimes called bias. People’s behavior and attitude which may be influenced by judgment can be displayed as bias. Many people do not realize they are bias, because it is not common to know you the person is bias. Others may identify a person being bias but one may not realize they are bias. In this paper I will define the concept of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. Explain the differences between subtle and blatant bias, and identify some common bias and ways to prevent bias in today’s society.
Concept of Social Bias Social Bias is “prejudice attitudes toward particular groups, races, sexes, or religions, including the conscious or unconscious expression of attitudes in writing and speaking” (Social Bias, n.d. p. 1). A person should not confuse prejudicial attitudes and discriminative attitudes because the two are different. Prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination can be confusing and mistaken by its definitions. Although prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination are somewhat similar; they are also very different.

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