PSYC 2380 - Midterm #2 Exam Prep
2026/2027 – High-Yield Study Notes &
Practice Question
Stereotypes - correct answer-a belief about the attributes of members of a group
and what is appropriate or desirable for group members. Stereotypes can be good
or bad, neutral even.
Generalization - correct answer-assumptions about attributes of a new person
based on group membership.
Prejudice - correct answer-an emotional reaction and evaluative attitudes
towards a group. Negative evaluation of group members. Prejudice is always
negative.
Discrimination - correct answer-unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group
and its members (biased behavior). Example: I'm not going to hire someone from
that group. Disadvantages individuals.
-Unjust treatment based solely on a person's group membership
,Gender stereotypes - correct answer-shared beliefs about attributes associated
with different gender/sex categories.
Stereotype content model - correct answer--Theory proposing that stereotypes
about social groups fall along communion and agency dimensions and that groups
may be seen as high or low on both dimensions.
1. Agency (competence)
2. Communion (warmth)
Women-are-wonderful effect (Eagly) - correct answer--Women higher on
communion (caring, nurturing, friendly, kind)
-Men higher on agency (assertive, dominant, competitive, better leaders)
-The WOW (women are wonderful) effect
But men are superior (Eagly et al., 1994)
-The tendency for people to view stereotypes about women more favorably than
they view stereotypes about men and, accordingly, to view (traditional, gender-
conforming) women very positively.
Gender prescriptions - correct answer-traits that women and men should exhibit
Gender Proscriptions - correct answer-traits that men and women should not
exhibit (PROhibited).
Evaluation of subtypes, Fiske (2012) - correct answer-Typical women are lumped
in with housewives and secretaries. High warmth, low competence.
Typical men are lumped in with managers and career men. High competence, low
warmth.
,Privilege - correct answer--automatic, unearned advantage that comes with
certain group membership. *dominant group membership (group that has the
most power within a particular society). Male, white, wealthy, educated, able-
bodied.
-Remember: people with privilege can have a difficult time identifying their
privilege. Try to take an outside perspective.
Awareness of privilege - correct answer-To improve intergroup contact between
privileged and less privileged groups, the privileged group should be aware of
their privilege. Critical component is awareness building.
-Goal: to reduce prejudice and discrimination
Communion - correct answer-A dimension reflecting traits such as warmth,
connectedness, and kindness.
Agency - correct answer-A dimension reflecting traits such as competence,
assertiveness, and competitiveness.
Think-manager-think-male effect - correct answer-An effect in which stereotypes
of men and managers overlap more strongly than stereotypes of women and
managers.
Prototype - correct answer-The most typical cognitive representation of a
category; with social groups, the prototype is the cultural default for representing
the group.
, Heteronormative - correct answer-The assumption that "normal" sexuality is
heterosexual.
Social role theory - correct answer-The theory that gender stereotypes stem from
people's observations of the social and occupational roles that women and men
typically perform.
Status incongruity hypothesis - correct answer-The assumption that gender role-
violating women are viewed negatively because they are seen as too dominant,
while gender role-violating men are viewed negatively because they are seen as
too low in status. These perceptions violate the gender status hierarchy and make
people uncomfortable.
Stereotype threat - correct answer-Anxiety individuals feel when concerned that
their behavior or performance might confirm a negative group stereotype.
Self-fulfilling prophecy - correct answer-The interpersonal process in which a
perceiver's expectation about a target influences the target's behavior in such a
manner that the target's behavior fulfills the perceiver's expectation.
Direction accuracy - correct answer-Accuracy regarding the direction of a sex
difference.
Discrepancy accuracy - correct answer-Accuracy regarding the specific size (and
direction) of a sex difference.
Generic beliefs - correct answer-beliefs about categories as wholes, without
reference to numbers or proportions
2026/2027 – High-Yield Study Notes &
Practice Question
Stereotypes - correct answer-a belief about the attributes of members of a group
and what is appropriate or desirable for group members. Stereotypes can be good
or bad, neutral even.
Generalization - correct answer-assumptions about attributes of a new person
based on group membership.
Prejudice - correct answer-an emotional reaction and evaluative attitudes
towards a group. Negative evaluation of group members. Prejudice is always
negative.
Discrimination - correct answer-unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group
and its members (biased behavior). Example: I'm not going to hire someone from
that group. Disadvantages individuals.
-Unjust treatment based solely on a person's group membership
,Gender stereotypes - correct answer-shared beliefs about attributes associated
with different gender/sex categories.
Stereotype content model - correct answer--Theory proposing that stereotypes
about social groups fall along communion and agency dimensions and that groups
may be seen as high or low on both dimensions.
1. Agency (competence)
2. Communion (warmth)
Women-are-wonderful effect (Eagly) - correct answer--Women higher on
communion (caring, nurturing, friendly, kind)
-Men higher on agency (assertive, dominant, competitive, better leaders)
-The WOW (women are wonderful) effect
But men are superior (Eagly et al., 1994)
-The tendency for people to view stereotypes about women more favorably than
they view stereotypes about men and, accordingly, to view (traditional, gender-
conforming) women very positively.
Gender prescriptions - correct answer-traits that women and men should exhibit
Gender Proscriptions - correct answer-traits that men and women should not
exhibit (PROhibited).
Evaluation of subtypes, Fiske (2012) - correct answer-Typical women are lumped
in with housewives and secretaries. High warmth, low competence.
Typical men are lumped in with managers and career men. High competence, low
warmth.
,Privilege - correct answer--automatic, unearned advantage that comes with
certain group membership. *dominant group membership (group that has the
most power within a particular society). Male, white, wealthy, educated, able-
bodied.
-Remember: people with privilege can have a difficult time identifying their
privilege. Try to take an outside perspective.
Awareness of privilege - correct answer-To improve intergroup contact between
privileged and less privileged groups, the privileged group should be aware of
their privilege. Critical component is awareness building.
-Goal: to reduce prejudice and discrimination
Communion - correct answer-A dimension reflecting traits such as warmth,
connectedness, and kindness.
Agency - correct answer-A dimension reflecting traits such as competence,
assertiveness, and competitiveness.
Think-manager-think-male effect - correct answer-An effect in which stereotypes
of men and managers overlap more strongly than stereotypes of women and
managers.
Prototype - correct answer-The most typical cognitive representation of a
category; with social groups, the prototype is the cultural default for representing
the group.
, Heteronormative - correct answer-The assumption that "normal" sexuality is
heterosexual.
Social role theory - correct answer-The theory that gender stereotypes stem from
people's observations of the social and occupational roles that women and men
typically perform.
Status incongruity hypothesis - correct answer-The assumption that gender role-
violating women are viewed negatively because they are seen as too dominant,
while gender role-violating men are viewed negatively because they are seen as
too low in status. These perceptions violate the gender status hierarchy and make
people uncomfortable.
Stereotype threat - correct answer-Anxiety individuals feel when concerned that
their behavior or performance might confirm a negative group stereotype.
Self-fulfilling prophecy - correct answer-The interpersonal process in which a
perceiver's expectation about a target influences the target's behavior in such a
manner that the target's behavior fulfills the perceiver's expectation.
Direction accuracy - correct answer-Accuracy regarding the direction of a sex
difference.
Discrepancy accuracy - correct answer-Accuracy regarding the specific size (and
direction) of a sex difference.
Generic beliefs - correct answer-beliefs about categories as wholes, without
reference to numbers or proportions
