Scapegoating Hypothesis

The journal article used in reference to stereotyping was retrieved from the The Journal of Experimental Psychology. The purpose of this article is to illustrate how being exposed to social stereotypes can subconsciously affect our behavior. The article explores the theory that if the self is compared to the social stereotype of a perceived out-group, a group with which one does not identify, one will subconsciously behave differently. Therefore, there will be disparities between the similarities

“I bear I will be born this is a crime I will not acknowledge leaves and wind hold onto me I will not give in”(Atwood 3). In the selections The Crucible by Arthur Miller and Half- Hanged Mary by Margaret Atwood scapegoating is found in both. A society under stress can affect a person or a group of people more likely by the cause of scapegoating then it can others.

Furthermore, stereotypes are used to increase an individual’s self-esteem and strengthen their social identity. Social identity theory contributes largely to the formation of stereotypes, as it states that a person’s social identity is formed from being part of a group. To justify one’s own group, they often pick out real or imaginary differences and flaws in other groups and compare those to their own group (Ford & Tonander, 1998). This led Ford

While reading the crucible and analyzing other documents, Scapegoating became a relevant occurrence in communities. Societies will turn to scapegoating a group of people to place blame for a problem or event; there is evidence shown regarding scapegoating in “ The Crucible” / Salem witch trials, “The Holocaust”, and in politics. These three examples all relate to scapegoating because they all discriminate and place blame of something the community cannot control on a specific group of people.

Prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping are important topics at the cause of debating within social psychology. A stereotype is a generalization about a group of people, in which certain traits cling to all members, regardless of actual individual variation (Akert, Aronson, & Wilson, 2010). As humans, people assign objects and individuals into categories to organize the environment. Individuals do this for not only organization, but also survival. Is stereotyping inevitable? That is the question; according to Devine (2007), it is, but Lepore and Brown (2007) have to disagree. Devine believes that “stereotyping is automatic, which makes it inevitable.” On the other hand, Lepore and Brown are not convinced that stereotyping is

“Evil originates not in the absence of guilt; but in our effort to escape it.” (Shannon L. Alder). Naturally, people do not want to get in trouble. In some cases, people do terrible things to ensure they do not get into trouble. One of the ways people try to escape trouble is through scapegoating.

After deliberation, we concluded that in order for all the team members to participate equally, we would have to divide the posters evenly among the four team members, basically meaning that each team member would make a single poster. Additionally, we determined

However, many of the group-based stereotypes are incorrect and generalizing and it promotes further misunderstandings and prejudice. Prejudice is having a false attitude toward an out-group in comparison to one’s in-group. Prejudiced individuals are prejudging without knowing any information about the “Others” (Rogers and Steinfatt).

In today’s society scapegoating is found in many forms. The most prevalent is scapegoating found in prejudices. Donald trump for example has used this tactic for his own benefit by saying illegal Mexican

Scapegoating at times helps unite a society against a threat, and can act as a temporary solution to the problems that society is

Devine (1989) argues that stereotypes are inevitable on the basis that stereotypes and prejudice coexist and that stereotyping occurs automatically. Devine attempts to prove this hypothesis in three experiments. Devine reasons that “as long as stereotypes exist, prejudice will follow.” This hypothesis is rooted in a correlation. Prejudice and stereotypes are related, however there is no clear evidence of causality; Knowledge of a stereotype does not mean an individual agrees with it.

Stereotypes are overgeneralized beliefs about a group of people that often drive prejudice. Even if a stereotype is partly true, it causes pre-judgment towards a group without having all the information. [Question 11] If several well-publicized murders are committed by members of a particular group, we may tend to react with fear and suspicion toward all members of that group. What psychological principle can help explain this reaction?

Countless times people with a little power have tried blaming someone that had nothing to do with the problem for their own troubles. Most times people with high and low class have a hard time accepting that things are their own fault. These terms can better be defined as the scapegoat theory. The source of prejudice can be easily recognized in the scapegoat theory “from frustration among people who themselves are disadvantaged” (pg. 309). “Prejudice does not improve the situation, but it is a relatively safe way to express anger” (pg. 309).

Your case assignments and the final project will be done in groups of 4. In an effort to

For most individuals, the thought of blaming the victim of a tragic experience for their own pain and suffering, seems preposterous. However, ascribing at least some of the blame to the victim is not uncommon (Niemi & Young, 2014). Victim blaming refers to individuals finding reasons to hold the victim of an incident responsible for the crime that took place (Hayes, Lorenz & Bell, 2013). For victims of sexual assault, who may already be experiencing self-blame and distrust of others, being blamed adds insult to injury (Harber, Podolski, & Williams, 2015). According to Harber et. al, victim blaming can also have long-term effects on victims, such as, increased anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. In an effort to increase support and resources for survivors of sexual assault researchers must determine why individuals are prone to blaming the victims rather than the perpetrator of a crime.