Stereotypes & Cognitive Dissonance

A stereotype is best described as:

• shared views about an individual

• an oversimplified image of a person who belongs to a particular group

• learned ideas we hold about ourselves

• behaviour towards a particular group

Identify one effect stereotyping has on people

• it helps us from looking at each individual as different

• it fits a small number of people into only one pattern

• it helps in recognising people's behaviour according to the community they belong

• it affects people as they prevent us from doing things that we may otherwise be good at

Which of these are stereotypes?

• Australians live by the beach and all men surf

• Ethiopians run long distances quickly

• Teenagers are argumentative

• Blondes are ditzy

An ingroup is best described as a group:

• 
  to which people of similar age or with common attitudes wish to belong

• 
  to which someone belongs

• with members who have common attitudes

• with members who like to clash with outgroups

A psychological tension that occurs when thougths, feelings and/or behavours don't align is known as

• cognitive bias

• cognitive dissonance

• attitudes

• attributions

I like Harry Styles so everyone around me must like him too, is an example of what type of cognitive bias

• confirmation bias

• false-consensus bias

• anchoring bias

• optimism bias

You arrive on time to meet a friend at the movies, but your friend is 15 minutes late. You think they are late as they are poorly organised. This is an example of

• self-serving bias

• actor-observer bias

• functional fixedness bias

• optimism bias

Jenny doesn't like cheating but is caught cheating on her Maths test. Is this an example of cognitive dissonance?

• Yes

• No

• Who doesn't cheat on a maths test?

• It's her first time, let it slide...

Sally missed out on a job. She tells people it's ok as the job wasn't for her. She has reduced her dissonance by:

• Changing her thoughts

• Changing her behaviour

• Adding a new cognition

• Talking her dog for a walk

In order to reduce cognitive dissonance, one must adjust their attitude or behaviour to remove the conflict..

• True

• False