2.2 Some factors affecting attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors (Stereotype , Prejudice and Discrimination)

 

Some of the several factors that negatively or positively influence our attitudes, perceptions and behaviors are the concepts of Stereotype, Prejudice and Discrimination which gradually develop. Stereotype is an assumption (a thing accepted as true or certain to happen without proof), prejudice is a belief (an acceptance that a statement is true or something exists), while discrimination is an action based on the Stereotype and Prejudice (Lynn, 2020). There exist many examples of the relation of topics related to the three concepts such as the character of Indonesian tribes.

Stereotype of different cultures of Indonesian tribes (Satria, 2019) can be seen as positive or negative perception. Negative one tells “Padang tribe is stingy“. This perception of the stereotype is due to the trade culture of the Padang tribe who always charges expensive cost for a selling something. Then, a Prejudice (belief) that all people in the tribe is stingy becomes strongly related to the public‘s negative attitude and mindset with the result that the action of discrimination and negative behavior of Non Padang to Padang people can happen in many ways related to economic aspects. In reality, people outside the tribe does not want to marry someone in this tribe because they worry if the cost for getting married will be very expensive. In fact, a man who will marry a woman in this tribe will not pay anything. The woman’s family will pay for everything in the wedding and all needs because of the fact that after getting married, the man will be fully responsible for new couple’s life needs.           

            Positive one tells “Sundanese woman is too kind”. This perception of the stereotype came from a painful love story of Bubat battle. Hayam wuruk was a charismatic Javanese king at his time. He was in love with a beautiful Sundanese princess, Diah Pitaloka. Diah pitaloka with his father came to the javanese kingdom (Majapahit) for hoping good relationship to be the queen of the future kingdom belong to them. This is a kindness of Sundanese woman who came to the man’s palace. Unfortunately, Gajah Mada governor does not want this moment happen for a reason that he does not want to make equivalent kingdom between Majapahit and Sunda. He wants to unite all kingdoms to be Nusantara (the first Indonesia) under Majapahit leadership. At the field of Bubat, The most painful story of massacre occurred and the Sundanese princess committed suicide to struggle for the dignity of the Sundanese kingdom. As time goes on, this positive perception of the stereotype telling the kind Sundanese princess becomes strongly related to the belief (Prejudice) that this truth of positive attitude really belongs to all Sundanese women. Consequently, the behavioral action of Sundanese family is negative and discriminative to Javanese one. The Sundanese family strongly prohibit all Sundanese daughter to marry a man from Javanese tribe.

References

Lynn et all. (2020, September 10). Understanding stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. Retrieved November 26, 2020, from https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/understanding-stereotypes-prejudice-and-discrimination/

Satria, H. (2019). Perbedaan Stereotype, Prasangka dan Diskriminasi. Retrieved November 26, 2020, from https://www.kompasiana.com/henrisatria/5d999634097f364afb323682/apa-bedanya-stereotip-prasangka-dan-diskriminasi?page=all

Retno, D. (2020, January 18). Sejarah Perang Bubat Antara Majapahit dan Pajajaran. Retrieved November 26, 2020, from https://sejarahlengkap.com/indonesia/kerajaan/sejarah-perang-bubat-antara-majapahit-dan-pajajaran