Throughout history, human beings have been known to discriminate against certain groups based on their social status, race, gender, sexual orientation, physical appearance, economic standing, religion, and culture. While some people might find it difficult to understand why this happens, there is evidence that indicates that discrimination leads to negative cognitive and emotional effects. In this article, I will discuss what these effects are and how they manifest themselves in individuals who experience societal invalidation, stereotyping, or prejudice.
Prejudice refers to a negative attitude towards someone based solely on personal beliefs and feelings instead of objective facts. It can occur when an individual holds a preconceived notion about another person without having sufficient information about them.
If one considers all African Americans to be lazy because of a single encounter with a black man who was caught stealing, then this would be prejudice. This is problematic as it prevents the individual from forming accurate judgments based on real-life experiences. The constant exposure to such situations often causes cognitive dissonance wherein individuals begin questioning their own opinions and doubting their ability to make informed decisions.
Stereotypes refer to generalizations made about particular groups of people without taking into account their unique characteristics.
Stereotypes about women being bad drivers or men being poor communicators are not necessarily true for everyone within those genders. Constant exposure to such stereotypes makes individuals doubt their abilities and feel inferior to others. They may also develop low self-esteem and become less confident in themselves.
Invalidation occurs when someone is told their thoughts, ideas, values, or opinions are wrong despite being correct. This often takes place in settings where people express divergent views. Individuals constantly exposed to invalidation might struggle to trust their intuition and eventually stop sharing their thoughts altogether.
They might start second-guessing everything they say or do to avoid being rejected.
Societal invalidation, stereotyping, or prejudice cause negative emotional effects such as low self-esteem and lack of confidence. Cognitively, it leads to confusion and difficulty making objective decisions. It's crucial that we work towards reducing these effects by encouraging tolerance and respect for diversity.