How do we reduce our prejudices?

All people have prejudices, but those who strive for freedom from prejudice keep them under control because their personal belief is that people are equal. We reduce prejudice like so…

🟧Contact hypothesis🟧

Prejudices are formed due to categorization and the division of social groups into “us” and “them”. According to the theory, contact and interactions between groups help to reduce stereotypes and prejudices.

However, it does matter what kind of person from the out-group we have contact with meeting a group member with a status and role corresponding to the stereotype can also strengthen the prejudice.

So how do we reduce prejudice? If we get to know each other’s perspectives and fears, we will no longer perceive the conflict as a power play, but as a task to be solved.

Learn more about the causes of prejudice

🟧Dual identity helps to lower prejudice🟧

If we accept dual and multiple identities, prejudice will reduce and the importance of belonging to a group diminishes. So if a person belongs to more than one group, he/she will become more accepting of outgroups as well.

For example, among the Slovaks in Hungary, the double identity also appears in the way that they speak Hungarian in everyday life. But at the same time, these people are connected to Slovak culture and traditions. Therefore, getting to people with dual identities help us to lower our prejudices.

🟧Critical thinking and autonomy buffer against prejudice🟧

It is important from childhood to develop the child’s critical thinking. In this way he/she will be able to formulate thoughts independently and will not want to take ideas from the government or the state. This lowers the chance of being prejudiced toward minorities.

Educating children for autonomy, became important during the Holocaust. Many autonomous residents hid Jews despite the fact that ideology and public sentiment were against it.

Source:

Allport, 1954
Cross and Rosenthal (1999)
Adorno, 1969