Sociale psychologieChapter 5Perceiving groups Discrimination: positive or negative behavior directed toward a social group and its members.Prejudice: a positive or negative evaluation of a social group and its members.Stereotype: a mental representation or impression of a social group that people form by associating particular characteristics and emotions with the group.Can be changed.Targets of prejudice: social groupsAny group that shares a socially meaningful common characteristic can be a target for prejudice. Different cultures emphasize different types of groups, but race, religion, gender, age, social status, and cultural background are important dividing lines in many societies.Social group: two or more people who share some common characteristic that is socially meaningful for themselves or for others.Socially meaningful.Social categorization: dividing the world into social groupsPeople identify individuals as members of social groups because they share socially meaningful features. Social categorization is helpful because it allows people to deal with others efficiently and appropriately. Social categorization also helps us feel connected to other people. However, social categorization exaggerates similarities within groups and differences between groups. It forms he basis for stereotyping.Social categorization: the process of identifying individual people as members of a social group because they share certain features that are typical of the group.Why?It is a useful tool, enabling us to master our environment and function...