Topic > The Role of Psychology in Eliminating Hate, Prejudice and Discrimination

The concept of hate, prejudice and discrimination has plagued societies for several decades. According to Tausch & Hewstone (2010), prejudice is the act of negative and unfavorable acts or attitudes towards a particular group of individuals based on less factual, incorrect and insufficient information about the individual or group they are intended for. Discrimination refers to actions or behaviors directed towards a given group of individuals. In a broader sense, discrimination is the concrete action that expresses a prejudicial attitude towards the identified group or individual. This short essay will attempt to evaluate the role psychology plays in reducing hatred, prejudice and discrimination. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Keen (2012) points out that no particular society or nation is immune to acts of discrimination and prejudice whether as perpetrator or victim. These acts date back to colonial times, which led to the isolation of various groups of people and societies. It is also essential that, to overcome the adversities caused by prejudice and discrimination, it is necessary to understand the effects of these vices on the individual victim and on society as a whole. Both prejudice and discrimination have colossal emotional, motivational, political, psychological and economic effects. These gross effects, whether intended or not, are compounded by outcomes such as political powerlessness, loss of self-esteem, a sense of self-alienation from society, and political inequalities in the public sphere (Sritharan & Gawronski, 2010). Victims of prejudice and discrimination often react in various ways. Some individuals succumb to feelings of withdrawal and depression, while others reject stereotypes. Those who are motivated will be able to achieve goals and also increase the amount of effort and energy in their activities. Motivation will determine whether they will be able to complete the task fully, thus improving in life. Those who suffer emotional loss may suffer from low motivation and therefore low morale in pursuing their goals or even give up. Those individuals who cannot succumb to the acts always take advantage of the negativity of stereotypes and use them as motivating factors to change the perception of the perpetrators. This is a clear indication of how emotion and motivation might influence an individual's behavior. Both social prejudices, prejudice and discrimination, have significant negative effects on social well-being and often hinder the mutual coexistence of various communities with various cultural differences. Often, a group or individuals who have the perception of being mistreated or judged negatively based on such perceptions face difficulties in realizing their full potential in various aspects of life. As noted by Keen (2012), when a particular society is subjected to a form of prejudicial act or untruthful belief, that specific community can experience an enormous negative effect on human rights, liberties and fair treatment, especially in social structures . For this reason, such individuals who face prejudice and discrimination often tend to limit themselves to acquiring new experiences that could further their growth based on the opinions already formed by members of their group. This is according to the research conducted by Asch and Milgram, as will be shown later in the essay. Fiske (2010) affirms the fact that the presence of prejudice and discrimination often contributes to the dilution of peace and mutual000024