Identifying Social Groups and Stereotypes; Using Stereotype Content Model (Case of Ankara)

Abstract

Conflicts initiated by issues related with identity are causing significant damage in human life and resources. Studies indicated that the contribution of stereotypes beliefs, prejudices and discriminations in either initiating and/or aggravating such conflict is enormous. In this contemporary time, where conflicts between social groups are more prevailing, study which focus on stereotypes exist among social groups have important contribution for understanding the issue in proper manner and designing meaningful intervention mechanism. Holding such ambition in mind, this study focused on identifying stereotypical beliefs attributed to various social groups among Turkey’s population. This study consists two different studies. Study 1 address identifying relevant social groups in Turkey’s population, and study 2 addressed dimensions of stereotypic beliefs between groups identified in study 1. Following the idea of Fiske el al (2002), the stereotypic traits were examined as a function of social structural variable such as status and competition. Result obtained from this study illustrate perceived groups fall into four clusters; groups perceived with high competence but low warmth and vice versa. The rest two groups construed with either low competence and warmth and/or high on both dimensions. Following that, discussion and comparison were drawn on these four clusters in line with convergence and divergence between current result and Fiske’s result.