Tuesday, June 28, 2011

more possible reasons for a dwight shrute shun

This was a Sunday dinner table topic several weeks ago:
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/05/22/is-anti-white-bias-a-problem/when-prejudice-is-so-malleable

Fiske employs a grid to predict how social groups will be ranked, using attributed vectors of warmth/coldness and competence/incompetence. In the simplest terms, her metric is as follows:

1. Those stereotyped as high competence and high warmth are met with pride and admiration (like most white people).
2. 
 Groups who rank as high warmth and low competence are treated with pity, sympathy, paternalism (like the elderly).
3. 
Those stereotyped as high competence and low warmth are met with envy (like Jews and Asians).
4. 
Those perceived as low competence and low warmth are greeted with contempt, anger and resentment (like the homeless). 


Fiske is talking about social groups but I am wondering if it applies to individuals as well. Seems the combination of high competence/high warmth traits are the ones we respond to most positively. Makes sense. We get frustrated with ignorance or lack of experience or lack of skills (low competency) and put off by arrogance or anger (low warmth).

Has all sorts of implications in our personal relationships, doesn't it?

Explains why I drive my family nuts. he he he.

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