Social Psychology Activities
Labeling/ Stereotype Threat
This activity helps students understand how stereotypes affect one's self-perception and behavior.
To begin, obtain the same number of adhesive labels (e.g., of the kind for file folders) as there are students in your class, and write a stereotypic attribute on each label. Some examples include violent, athletic, cute, overemotional, incompetent, good at math, lazy, untrustworthy, unclean, musical, materialistic, diseased, unintelligent, exotic, forgetful, and frail.
After discussing research and theories on stereotyping, explain that you will conduct a labeling exercise to help students learn about how stereotypes work.
Next, attach a label on each student's forehead (or back) so that the label is not visible to the wearer. Make clear that these labels are being assigned randomly and have nothing to do with students' actual attributes. Then ask students to spend 15 minutes talking with each other about "future goals" (another general topic can be chosen, but this one works well in eliciting responses to the labels). Tell students that they should circulate in order to talk with several different people, and that they should treat one another according to the other person's labeled attribute. For example, someone labeled "forgetful" might be repeatedly reminded of the instructions.
After 15 minutes, reconvene the class and ask students to leave their labels on for a little while longer (if the class size and furniture allows, it's best to sit in a circle). Then ask students to share how they felt during the exercise, how they were treated by others, and how this treatment affected them. Students will often mention their discomfort not only with being stereotyped but with treating others stereotypically.
Finally, tell students that they can now remove their labels. Then discuss questions such as the following:
Source: Adapted from Goldstein, S. B. (1997). The power of stereotypes: A labeling exercise. Teaching of Psychology, 24, 256-258.
To begin, obtain the same number of adhesive labels (e.g., of the kind for file folders) as there are students in your class, and write a stereotypic attribute on each label. Some examples include violent, athletic, cute, overemotional, incompetent, good at math, lazy, untrustworthy, unclean, musical, materialistic, diseased, unintelligent, exotic, forgetful, and frail.
After discussing research and theories on stereotyping, explain that you will conduct a labeling exercise to help students learn about how stereotypes work.
Next, attach a label on each student's forehead (or back) so that the label is not visible to the wearer. Make clear that these labels are being assigned randomly and have nothing to do with students' actual attributes. Then ask students to spend 15 minutes talking with each other about "future goals" (another general topic can be chosen, but this one works well in eliciting responses to the labels). Tell students that they should circulate in order to talk with several different people, and that they should treat one another according to the other person's labeled attribute. For example, someone labeled "forgetful" might be repeatedly reminded of the instructions.
After 15 minutes, reconvene the class and ask students to leave their labels on for a little while longer (if the class size and furniture allows, it's best to sit in a circle). Then ask students to share how they felt during the exercise, how they were treated by others, and how this treatment affected them. Students will often mention their discomfort not only with being stereotyped but with treating others stereotypically.
Finally, tell students that they can now remove their labels. Then discuss questions such as the following:
- Was the label what you guessed, or were you surprised by it?
- When people stereotyped you, were you able to disregard it?
- Did you try to disprove the stereotype? If so, did it work?
- How did you feel toward the person who was stereotyping you?
- If your attribute was positive (e.g., "good at math"), how did you feel?
- When stereotyping others, how easy was it to find confirming evidence?
- When stereotyping others, how did you react to disconfirming evidence?
Source: Adapted from Goldstein, S. B. (1997). The power of stereotypes: A labeling exercise. Teaching of Psychology, 24, 256-258.
"Knowing the Code" The Urinal Game
On a chalkboard, draws a restroom doorway and three urinals to represent a men's restroom (they can be circles, but explain to the students what they are meant to represent). Then ask for a male volunteer. Ask him which urinal he would go to and have him stand there. While the first volunteer does his business, ask for a second volunteer and have him do the same thing. Then ask a third. Students will probably laugh and want to talk about it. Ask each of the volunteers why they went where they did?
This game will often provoke discussion about the social norms in an American male restroom, that a man must not appear to be initiating any contact while using the restroom. This includes physical proximity, eye contact and conversation.
Often the discussions will result in the consensus that if all three urinals are unoccupied, the correct answer is the urinal furthest from the door. If that urinal is occupied, the correct answer is the urinal closest to the door, leaving one unoccupied urinal as a buffer. If both of these urinals are occupied, a man must decide between using the buffer urinal, the stall or he can exit the restroom and come back later.
By John Paul
This game will often provoke discussion about the social norms in an American male restroom, that a man must not appear to be initiating any contact while using the restroom. This includes physical proximity, eye contact and conversation.
Often the discussions will result in the consensus that if all three urinals are unoccupied, the correct answer is the urinal furthest from the door. If that urinal is occupied, the correct answer is the urinal closest to the door, leaving one unoccupied urinal as a buffer. If both of these urinals are occupied, a man must decide between using the buffer urinal, the stall or he can exit the restroom and come back later.
By John Paul
Status Vs. Role
Even though status and role(set) are presented as related but distinct concepts, there is sometimes a tendency for the students to use the term “role” in an all-inclusive manner. This visual presentation is designed to help distinguish between the two concepts, but still depict their interrelatedness.
After presenting the concept in class, I solicit examples from the class. Some students will provide appropriate answers, while others will define status in terms of activities. Creating a status-role tableau is intended to clarify the terms.
Illustrating a status salient to everyone in the class increases the value of the exercise. “Student” would be an obvious choice. Ask for five or six volunteers (depending on how many roles you wish to present). One person is selected to represent the idea of status. She/He stands in front of the class, off to the side, holding the sign with STUDENT on it. Then ask the class to suggest what responsibilities, expectations, and privileges are associated with being a student. As each appropriate idea is offered, a sign is made to label the activity and a volunteer acts out the behavior. For example, studying is often suggested. A sign is made (STUDYING) and taped onto a desk at which the volunteer sits, staring intently at a book or open notebook. This “frozen picture” is created in front of the class, opposite the STUDENT model. The same process is repeated for three or four other “student” roles. The result is a tableau with the status illustrated on one side of the room and the corresponding roles on the other.
This activity can be followed by discussion which emphasizes the fact that when we identify a person as possessing a particular social position, we tend to distribute specific attitudes and behaviors to that individual. We also do the reverse: if we observe an individual engaged in a particular behavior, we tend to assume the she/he is a(n) “_________.” We identify that person as possibly possessing a particular status.
Source: Nancy Fischer, Department of Sociology, Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana. Published in Edward L. Kain and Robin Neas (ed.). 1993. Innovative Techniques for Teaching Sociological Concepts (Third Edition). Washington, DC: American Sociological Association, Teaching Resources Center, p. 102.
After presenting the concept in class, I solicit examples from the class. Some students will provide appropriate answers, while others will define status in terms of activities. Creating a status-role tableau is intended to clarify the terms.
Illustrating a status salient to everyone in the class increases the value of the exercise. “Student” would be an obvious choice. Ask for five or six volunteers (depending on how many roles you wish to present). One person is selected to represent the idea of status. She/He stands in front of the class, off to the side, holding the sign with STUDENT on it. Then ask the class to suggest what responsibilities, expectations, and privileges are associated with being a student. As each appropriate idea is offered, a sign is made to label the activity and a volunteer acts out the behavior. For example, studying is often suggested. A sign is made (STUDYING) and taped onto a desk at which the volunteer sits, staring intently at a book or open notebook. This “frozen picture” is created in front of the class, opposite the STUDENT model. The same process is repeated for three or four other “student” roles. The result is a tableau with the status illustrated on one side of the room and the corresponding roles on the other.
This activity can be followed by discussion which emphasizes the fact that when we identify a person as possessing a particular social position, we tend to distribute specific attitudes and behaviors to that individual. We also do the reverse: if we observe an individual engaged in a particular behavior, we tend to assume the she/he is a(n) “_________.” We identify that person as possibly possessing a particular status.
Source: Nancy Fischer, Department of Sociology, Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana. Published in Edward L. Kain and Robin Neas (ed.). 1993. Innovative Techniques for Teaching Sociological Concepts (Third Edition). Washington, DC: American Sociological Association, Teaching Resources Center, p. 102.
Confirmation Bias
This assignment was adapted from
http://www.devpsy.org/teaching/method/confirmation_bias.html