Page 35 - Discrimination at Work The Psychological and Organizational Bases

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Discrimination at the Level
of the Individual: Cognitive

and Affective Factors

John F. Dovidio
Colgate University

Michelle R. Hebl
Rice University

Discrimination traditionally has been defined as unjustified negative ac­
tions that deny "individuals or groups of people equality of treatment"
(Allport, 1954, p. 51). Discrimination occurs at many levels: cultural, social,
institutional, and individual. Perhaps because of its multiple sources and
manifestations, discrimination and perceptions of discrimination continue
to be dominant forces within the lives of most minority group members
in the United States (Gallup, 2002). Members of these groups traditionally
have been underrepresented and disadvantaged socially, politically, and
economically. This chapter examines the causes and consequences of dis­
crimination in the workplace focusing on the individual level. We highlight
the role that the cognitive and affective components of intergroup attitudes
play in this process.
This chapter consists of five sections. The first section identifies ba­
sic intrapersonal and interpersonal processes that critically shape inter­
group discrimination. In this section, we define the key terms of attitudes,

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