The Psychology of Prejudice

The Psychology of Prejudice, 3rd Edition is a comprehensive undergraduate textbook that investigates the primary psychological processes driving intergroup bias, stereotyping, and discrimination. Designed specifically for undergraduate students and university instructors, the volume details how cognitive systems construct social categories, process intergroup information, and maintain evaluative group judgments across diverse social settings.

The text systematically analyzes the psychological origins and maintenance of stereotypes alongside the mental mechanisms that govern automatic stereotype activation and deliberate application. Core thematic sections evaluate how specific personality traits correlate with biased thinking, contrast traditional old-fashioned prejudice with modern subtle expressions, and examine distinct impact areas including sexism, ageism, and structured prejudice reduction interventions.

Containing 472 pages, this third edition incorporates 50 percent new material to reflect updated academic scholarship in the field. The volume provides structured reading support for undergraduate coursework in social psychology, sociology, and personality psychology, helping students systematically explore empirical research on human bias.