Önyargya

Önyargya is a term found in some theoretical discussions of prejudice and bias. It is used to denote a form of self-originating bias in which individuals apply the norms, beliefs, or expectations of their own social group to others, shaping interpretation and judgment in ways that reinforce in-group advantages and out-group stereotypes.

Etymology and use: The form önyargya is not widely standardized in dictionaries. It resembles the Turkish word önyargı (prejudice) with an added suffix, and appears primarily in academic or literary contexts as a conceptual label to illustrate how bias can arise from one’s background rather than from external information alone.

Definition and features: Önyargya involves preconceived judgments about others that are anchored in the observer’s group norms, leading to selective perception, overgeneralization, and resistance to counterevidence. It can operate implicitly, influencing attention, memory, and judgment without conscious awareness.

Causes and mechanisms: It emerges from early socialization, group identification, cognitive ease, confirmation bias, and motivated reasoning aimed at maintaining in-group coherence.

Implications: Önyargya can affect interpersonal communication, hiring, media representation, and public discourse, contributing to miscommunication and policy disagreements when opposing groups project internal biases onto others.

Mitigation: Awareness training, perspective-taking, exposure to counter-stereotypical information, structured decision processes, and deliberate debiasing techniques can reduce its impact.

See also: prejudice, bias, cognitive bias, in-group/out-group dynamics.

References: The term is not widely standardized in major reference works; discussions often treat it as a conceptual illustration of bias. General resources on prejudice and debiasing provide related grounding.