Diversity, Ethics, & Inclusion Education

Self-esteem and prejudice are closely related, with low self-esteem often leading to prejudice. People with low self-esteem may be more likely to show bias against others, especially those from different social or ethnic groups. This is a defense mechanism to protect their self-esteem. 

Explanation

• Scapegoat prejudice

  A defense mechanism where people with low self-esteem blame others to feel better about themselves. 

• Internalized prejudice

  Negative beliefs about certain groups of people can affect self-image and self-esteem. This can lead to insecurity and anxiety in social interactions. 

• Benefits of self-confidence

  Self-confidence can help people feel more resilient, accept responsibility, and understand that every experience is valuable. It can also help people feel less anxious and more willing to take risks. 

Bias, simply put, is a preference or tendency to respond one way versus another.

Bias consists of

prejudice (i.e., biased emotional reactions, such as a gut feeling or general like or dislike),

stereotypes (i.e., biased beliefs about group characteristics), and discrimination (i.e., biased behavior) toward a person or group based merely on their group membership.

Bias can arise from any social category, including gender, race, ethnicity, age, ability status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, weight, attractiveness, socioeconomic status, education, hometown, and any other dimension on which we categorize people.

These categories intersect to create unique experiences of bias that are often compounded for individuals who belong to multiple minoritized groups.

Overall, bias can distort our perceptions of people and inadvertently lead us to make poor decisions, treat people unfairly, and miss opportunities to build positive relationships and collaborations with others.