Why are people prejudiced, and how can prejudice be reduced?
Prejudice: the nature of prejudice and discrimination, explanations of why prejudice develops, methods of reducing prejudice, and the research evidence and methods used to study it.
The SQA Higher Psychology Social Behaviour optional topic on prejudice: the nature of prejudice and discrimination, explanations such as social identity theory, realistic conflict and the authoritarian personality, methods of reducing prejudice, and the research evidence and methods used to study it.
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What this dot point is asking
Prejudice is an optional Social Behaviour topic, so it can appear as a -mark question in the additional-topic section. The SQA wants you to describe what prejudice and discrimination are, explain why prejudice develops, explain methods of reducing it, and use research evidence and methods to support and evaluate these explanations.
The answer
Prejudice and discrimination
Social identity theory
Realistic conflict theory
The authoritarian personality
Reducing prejudice
Examples in context
Tajfel's minimal group studies are the key evidence for social identity theory: when boys were assigned to meaningless groups, they still favoured their own group when allocating rewards, showing that mere categorisation is enough to produce in-group favouritism without any competition. Sherif's Robbers Cave study is the key evidence for realistic conflict theory: two groups of boys at a summer camp became hostile when made to compete, then prejudice fell when they had to cooperate on superordinate goals such as fixing the water supply, supporting both the conflict explanation and the use of shared goals to reduce prejudice. Adorno's work used the F-scale to link a particular upbringing to authoritarian, prejudiced attitudes, though it is criticised for relying on correlation and self-report. A Higher answer that pairs a theory with two or three of these studies and judges the fit reaches the top band.
Try this
Q1. Explain the difference between prejudice and discrimination. [4 marks]
- Cue. Prejudice is a negative attitude towards a group based on membership; discrimination is the negative behaviour, such as unfair treatment, that can follow.
Q2. Explain how superordinate goals can reduce prejudice. [6 marks]
- Cue. Shared goals that require cooperation force groups to work together, breaking down the in-group and out-group divide, as shown by the Robbers Cave study.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA Higher (optional topic)20 marksExplain one theory of prejudice and evaluate the research evidence that supports it.Show worked answer →
A -mark question split between KU and analysis or evaluation. Around to marks reward an accurate account of a theory, such as social identity theory (Tajfel): people categorise others into in-groups and out-groups, identify with their in-group and seek positive distinctiveness through favourable comparisons, which produces in-group favouritism and out-group prejudice.
The remaining marks reward use and evaluation of evidence. Strong answers cite the minimal group studies, in which even meaningless group membership produced in-group favouritism, then weigh the theory: it explains prejudice without prior conflict, but it can underplay real competition and individual differences. A reasoned judgement is the discriminator.
SQA Higher (optional topic)12 marksDescribe two methods of reducing prejudice.Show worked answer →
A -mark question, roughly half KU and half analysis. Markers reward developed description rather than a list.
Strong choices are the contact hypothesis (bringing groups together under the right conditions, such as equal status and institutional support, reduces prejudice) and the use of superordinate goals (shared goals that require cooperation between groups, as in the Robbers Cave study). Analysis marks come from explaining why each works and noting limits, for example that contact reduces prejudice only when conditions are met and can backfire otherwise.
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