More Theories About Prejudice
Psychodynamic Theories analyze prejudice as a result of motivational tensions within individuals, emphasizing personality. One example of a psychodynamic theory of prejudice is the idea of displaced aggression. Displacement occurs when an individual is frustrated or angered but cannot directly attack the source because of unavailability or fear. In those situations, people aggress against a scapegoat -- someone whom they CAN attack and blame for their difficulties. Displaced aggression is often directed toward people from outgroups and toward people with less status and power than the aggressor.
Another psychdynamic theory is that of the Authoritarian Personality. This theory treats prejudice as a personality disorder and was developed by Adorno in the 1950's. According to Adorno, prejudice develops in individuals with the Authoritarian Personality syndrome, characterized by hostility, rigid adherence to conventional patterns of behavior, belief in harsh punishment for deviant behavior, mysticism and superstition, and exaggerated submission to authority.
Realistic Group Conflict Theory is very different from psychodynamic theories. It argues that when two groups are in competition for scarce resources, they threaten each other. Threats create hostility and negative evaluations of each other. Prejudice is therefore the inevitable consequence of a real conflict over resources desired by both groups. According to this theory, prejudice can be somewhat reduced if some needs are satisfied but never completely reduced because, given scarce resources, all needs of people in both groups will not be completely satisfied.
According to the Relative Deprivation Theory of prejudice, sometimes people perceive themselves to be deprived relative to others. It is the perception that creates the intergroup hostility, rather than the actual relative status of the two groups. This often happens when conditions improve more slowly for one group than for another.
The two types of relative deprivation typically studied by social psychologists are Fraternal Deprivation and Egoistic Deprivation. Fraternal deprivation is the feeling that one's group is deprived relative to another group while Egoistic deprivation is the feeling that I am deprived relative to other people. Fraternal deprivation is most closely linked with prejudice, social protest, and nationalism.