Abstract:Over the last decades, the use of explicit derogatory language (e.g., hate speech, slurs, micro-insults) has risen in many countries. We provide an overview on blatant language discrimination, including its psychological antecedents and consequences. After presenting a working definition of derogatory language and describing its prevalence, we discuss the social functions it serves and the role it plays in identity protection, in legitimizing group hierarchies, and in establishing and enforcing group norms. Dr… Show more
“…Cervone et al (2021, p. 84) outline five main functions served by derogatory language as identified in social-psychological research: prejudice perpetuation ; maintenance of status hierarchies and norms and role compliance (here treated as one); legitimization of violence against outgroups ; and ingroup cohesion . First, using discriminatory language about minority groups is one way to both activate and perpetuate prejudice against them.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Although we have competing versions of the employer-employee relationship, dominant groups are more likely to use derogatory language, are less likely to be at the receiving end of discriminatory practices, and are more likely to be taken seriously than minority groups (Rosette et al, 2013). This means, “the asymmetrical use of disparaging language not only reflects the existing social stratification, but it also contributes to maintaining the power differential between dominant and subordinate groups” (Cervone et al, 2021, pp. 84–85).…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Future Directions: Research and Social Activism Cervone et al (2021) argue that one way for minority groups to counter derogatory language about their group is to confront the offender, and/or to reappropriate derogatory group labels. However, these means are not readily available to DMWs.…”
Discursive othering deals with the many ways in which language is used to express prejudice against minorities, and it outlines the processes and conditions that promote group-based inequality and marginalization. This article focuses on online othering, and it analyzes a corpus of 615 comments posted by Hong Kong employers of domestic migrant workers (DMWs) on social media. First, a quantitative analysis of the corpus outlines the content categories found in the posts, and second, a discourse analysis of representative excerpts illustrates the claims made about DMWs. Employers engage in othering of their helpers, and the analysis shows how demeaning racist comments function to publicly shame them and warn others not to employ them. The article uses Language and Social Psychology frameworks to analyze the posts, and it discusses the functions of using racist derogatory language. The paper concludes by discussing how research may be used to address pressing social issues.
“…Cervone et al (2021, p. 84) outline five main functions served by derogatory language as identified in social-psychological research: prejudice perpetuation ; maintenance of status hierarchies and norms and role compliance (here treated as one); legitimization of violence against outgroups ; and ingroup cohesion . First, using discriminatory language about minority groups is one way to both activate and perpetuate prejudice against them.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Although we have competing versions of the employer-employee relationship, dominant groups are more likely to use derogatory language, are less likely to be at the receiving end of discriminatory practices, and are more likely to be taken seriously than minority groups (Rosette et al, 2013). This means, “the asymmetrical use of disparaging language not only reflects the existing social stratification, but it also contributes to maintaining the power differential between dominant and subordinate groups” (Cervone et al, 2021, pp. 84–85).…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Future Directions: Research and Social Activism Cervone et al (2021) argue that one way for minority groups to counter derogatory language about their group is to confront the offender, and/or to reappropriate derogatory group labels. However, these means are not readily available to DMWs.…”
Discursive othering deals with the many ways in which language is used to express prejudice against minorities, and it outlines the processes and conditions that promote group-based inequality and marginalization. This article focuses on online othering, and it analyzes a corpus of 615 comments posted by Hong Kong employers of domestic migrant workers (DMWs) on social media. First, a quantitative analysis of the corpus outlines the content categories found in the posts, and second, a discourse analysis of representative excerpts illustrates the claims made about DMWs. Employers engage in othering of their helpers, and the analysis shows how demeaning racist comments function to publicly shame them and warn others not to employ them. The article uses Language and Social Psychology frameworks to analyze the posts, and it discusses the functions of using racist derogatory language. The paper concludes by discussing how research may be used to address pressing social issues.
“…In this way, they are less than subordinate in relation to the ingroup. Through explicit derogatory language [74], they are socially isolated, feared and/or hated by the ingroup and tend to feel similarly about themselves [75]. In any case, the aim is to keep these individuals away from the ingroup and the privileges available to its members as the norm [76].…”
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted continuing constraints on the ability of students to interact with teachers and peers. Regarding this imposed segregation, what has not been considered is the effect of learners seeing self as other. With respect to augmentations of their body in interpersonal space by, (1) extending the body through witnessing themselves regularly in videoconferencing learning sessions, (2) isolating the body as a result of spending time apart from peers, social distancing at home, and (3) protecting the body through required mask-wearing where learners now consider who they represent in a mask, there are three important ways in which learners have felt unable to recognize themselves as they did pre-COVID-19. This migration from self to other, involving ingroup/outgroup distinctions, will be investigated from a number of perspectives—both sociological and psychological. Why the turning of self into other is problematic to the psyche will be discussed, as will the possible consequences for this ongoing lack of learner recognition long term, including focus on the new norms or embracing self-directed learning. Based on this analysis, the type of mentorship by teachers and parents that may be appropriate for helping learners contend with these changes will be recommended.
“…Accordingly, multiple linguistic cues inform about gender hierarchies, signaling the privileged position of men compared to women. Finally, language may be relevant in sustaining breadth and stability of gender beliefs and discrimination because it often operates in a subtle—almost invisible—manner with gender biases encoded at the level of syntax and likely inaccessible to an untrained eye (for a recent review addressing blatant and clearly offensive speech, see Cervone et al, 2021). Without explicit awareness of the existence of the biases, even people sensitive to gender issues may be engaged in linguistic practices that maintain rather than challenge gender arrangements.…”
Gender stereotypes and related gender discrimination are encoded in and transmitted through language, contributing to gender inequality. In this article, we review research findings on subtle linguistic means of communicating gender stereotypes and gender hierarchies. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive repository of various instances of subtle linguistic biases potentially useful in creating a text analysis toolbox to quantify gender bias in language. Our focus is predominantly on those areas that have received less attention both in research and in policy making. As gender inequalities are communicated through linguistic practices, attempts to change social reality include changes in language. Therefore, we suggest possible interventions for practices of gender equality in language.
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