Focuses on social inference, the assumptions we make about others such as their personality, status, or attitudes, using a limited amount of information.
What are stereotypes and why do we use them? Are all stereotypes bad? Can we stop people from using them? Questions such as these have fascinated social psychologists for many years.Perry Hinton provides an accessible introduction to this key area, giving a critical and concise overview of the influential theories and approaches, as well as insights into recent work on the role of language and culture in stereotyping.
What are other people like? How do we decide if someone is friendly, honest or clever? What assumptions do we develop about them and what explanations do we give for their behaviour? The Perception of People examines key topics in psychology to explore how we make sense of other people (and ourselves). Do our decisions result from careful consideration and a desire to produce an accurate perception? Or do we jump to conclusions in our judgements and rely on expectations and stereotypes? To answer these questions the book examines models of person perception and provides an up-to-date and detailed account of the central psychological research in this area, focusing in particular on the social cognitive approach. It also considers and reflects on the involvement of culture in cognition, and includes coverage of relevant research in culture and language that influence the way we think and speak about others. As well as providing a valuable text in social psychology, The Perception of People also offers a direction for the integration of ideas from cognitive and social psychology with those of cultural psychology, anthropology, sociology, philosophy and social history. Clear explanation of modern research is placed in historical and cultural context to provide a fuller understanding of how psychologists have worked to understand how people interpret the world around them and make sense of the people within it. Ideal reading for students of social psychology, this engaging text will also be useful in subject areas such as communication studies and media studies, where the perception of people is highly relevant.
Stereotyping is one of the biggest single issues in social psychology, but relatively little is known about how and why stereotypes form. This is the first book to explore the process of stereotype formation, the way that people develop impressions and views of social groups. Conventional approaches to stereotyping assume that stereotypes are based on erroneous and distorted processes, but the authors of this book take a very different view, namely that stereotypes form in order to explain aspects of social groups and in particular to explain relationships between groups.
Stereotypes and the Construction of the Social World explores the complexity of stereotypes, guiding the reader through issues of definition and theoretical explanations from psychology and other disciplines. The book examines why people use stereotypes, which have often been represented as inaccurate, rigid and discriminatory. If that is what they are, then why would people employ such ‘faulty’ or ‘biased’ views of others? Whilst this book presents a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the psychological research into the individual use of stereotypes, it also presents this research within its ideological and historical context, revealing the important sociocultural factors in what we mean by ‘stereotypes’. From the politics of representation and inter-group power relations, alongside individual social cognitive issues, the book provides a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary account of stereotypes and stereotyping. Featuring a wealth of real-world examples, it will be essential reading for all students and researchers of stereotypes.
This handbook provides a comprehensive review of social cognition, ranging from its history and core research areas to its relationships with other fields. The 43 chapters included are written by eminent researchers in the field of social cognition, and are designed to be understandable and informative to readers with a wide range of backgrounds.
By 2030 there will be about 70 million people in the United States who are older than 64. Approximately 26 percent of these will be racial and ethnic minorities. Overall, the older population will be more diverse and better educated than their earlier cohorts. The range of late-life outcomes is very dramatic with old age being a significantly different experience for financially secure and well-educated people than for poor and uneducated people. The early mission of behavioral science research focused on identifying problems of older adults, such as isolation, caregiving, and dementia. Today, the field of gerontology is more interdisciplinary. When I'm 64 examines how individual and social behavior play a role in understanding diverse outcomes in old age. It also explores the implications of an aging workforce on the economy. The book recommends that the National Institute on Aging focus its research support in social, personality, and life-span psychology in four areas: motivation and behavioral change; socioemotional influences on decision-making; the influence of social engagement on cognition; and the effects of stereotypes on self and others. When I'm 64 is a useful resource for policymakers, researchers and medical professionals.
The social world is complicated and our minds are limited, so we take shortcuts. You have to make quick decisions – this person is dangerous, this one is not. The shortcuts we take mostly work well enough, because, after all, we survive. But some are deeply unjust, including racial or social class categories or other unfair stereotypes. This book will help you understand how these shortcuts work, why they exist, and how they are changing. There are examples in each chapter which * Show applications in the real world to help with your understanding * Highlight significant pieces of research to help you demonstrate knowledge of a wide range of sources * Explain researching in social cognition to improve your skills and give ideas for your own research. Check out the accompanying online resources for more.