Belief, Feeling, Action
Social bias is built from three distinct components. Keeping them separate is essential for understanding how human bias works.
| Component | Nature | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Stereotype | Cognition (belief) | "All members of X are lazy" |
| Prejudice | Affect (feeling) | Disliking X on sight |
| Discrimination | Behavior (action) | Refusing to hire X |
Stereotypes are mental shortcuts where group categories overwrite individuals. Prejudice is a negative emotion held in advance of real experience. Discrimination is unjust behavior.
Common pitfall: Treating these three terms as synonyms. A person can hold a stereotype without acting on it, or discriminate without personal hatred.
The Machinery of Bias
Biases persist through powerful cognitive mechanisms operating behind the scenes.
Confirmation bias makes us notice info fitting our stereotypes while ignoring contradictions. The out-group homogeneity effect makes outsiders seem completely uniform: "they are all alike."
Bias also operates below conscious awareness as implicit bias: automatic mental associations that shape behavior even in people who sincerely reject prejudice.
To counter these forces, the contact hypothesis states that sustained, cooperative, and equal-status contact between groups is proven to reduce prejudice over time.