Journal article
The Construction of Stereotypes within Social Psychology: From Social Cognition to Ideology
Theory & Psychology, Vol.8(5), pp.629-652
1998
Abstract
This paper reviews the varying and contrasting ways in which stereotypes, as representations of groups, and stereotyping as an activity, have been constructed and understood within contemporary social psychology. These distinct theoretical approaches include the dominant social cognitive tradition, which views stereotypes as cognitive schemas that simplify reality, and self-categorization theory, which views stereotypes as psychologically valid representations which reflect the actualities of intergroup relations. We articulate how more social and collective accounts based on social representations theory, ideology and discursive psychology can enrich our understanding of stereotypes and stereotyping. Stereotypes are not the product of individual cognitive activity alone, but are also social and collective products which function ideologically by justifying and legitimizing existing social and power relations within a society. We also discuss recent contributions to the enduring enigma within social psychology regarding the relationship between stereotypes and social reality, and identify the inherent ideological problems which plague positivist attempts to explicate this relationship. Finally, we discuss the need for an integrative social psychological theory of stereotyping which links the cognitive and psychological analyses of stereotyping to more social, structural and discursive analyses.
Details
- Title
- The Construction of Stereotypes within Social Psychology: From Social Cognition to Ideology
- Authors/Creators
- M. Augoustinos (Author/Creator) - The University of AdelaideI. Walker (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
- Publication Details
- Theory & Psychology, Vol.8(5), pp.629-652
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications Ltd
- Identifiers
- 991005544853007891
- Copyright
- © 1998 Sage Publications
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Psychology
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Metrics
91 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Citation topics
- 6 Social Sciences
- 6.73 Social Psychology
- 6.73.447 Racial Identity
- Web Of Science research areas
- Psychology, Multidisciplinary
- ESI research areas
- Psychiatry/Psychology