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Summary on the Pathology of “White Privilege”
Explain the concept of "prejudice.
Racism as a social problem
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Recommended: Summary on the Pathology of “White Privilege”
Prejudice is a destructive social problem. Theories of prejudice distinguish between old-fashioned and modern forms. The former is an open rejection of minority group members; the latter is subtle and covert, with a veneer of out-group acceptance. Prejudice is commonly defined as an unfair negative attitude toward a social group or a person perceived to be a member of that group. Racism is related to concepts such as prejudice, but it is a more encompassing term. In White Racism, authors Feagin, Vera and Batur explain, “Racism is more than a matter of individual prejudice and scattered episodes of discrimination” (p. ix); it involves a widely accepted racist philosophy and it involves power to deny other racial groups the dignity or opportunities that are available to one’s own group through a socially organized set of ideas and attitudes.
Transformation of Prejudice
The idea that prejudice in America has diminished seems idyllic. According to Whitley and Kite, prejudice continues through a more subtle form. They show this in a study of bogus pipeline research. This is the theory that participants responses change when they feel they will be caught lying. The participants may have been hooked to electrodes during the second round of questioning and told if their response was untrue, the electrodes would detect it. The participant is more likely to give a more accurate response (Whitely and Kite pg. 192). This is similar to implicit research of Chapter 2 in that assessment of self-reporting would indicate low prejudice but the participants would have psychological responses that indicate prejudice. An example of this would be emotional responses when shown a picture of the out-group.
White Privileg...
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...rejudice but a similar percentage of Whites typically show evidence of racial biases on implicit measures that are largely dissociated from their explicit views.
The report states, “Thus, a substantial proportion of Whites in the United States can be characterized as exhibiting reactions toward Blacks consistent with aversive racism.” (pg. 2)
Cited Works:
(1) McIntosh, Peggy. White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,
(2) Jim Crow Racism, http://abagond.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/jim-crow-racism/, accessed November 3, 2013
Bibliography:
Feagin, Joe R., Vera Hernan, and Batur, Pinar, White Racism, Rutledge, New York, 2001
Whitley Jr., Bernard and Kite, Mary E., The Psychology of Hate, Wadsworth, California, 2010
Pearson, Adam R., Dovidio, John F., and Gaertner, Samuel L., The Nature of Contemporary Prejudice: Insightsfrom Aversive Racism,
The author provides several examples of survey results that illustrate this. For example, while a majority of whites wanted separate schooling, transportation, etc. for blacks, less than 25 percent of whites wanted that in the 1970s. Also since 1940, the number of whites who believe and act on the stereotypes of blacks has decreased significantly (though, it is still high, ranging anywhere from 20-50 percent). Bonilla-Silva provides four trends in which these changes in racial attitudes have changed: racial optimists, racial pesoptimists, symbolic racism and sense of group
We’ve all done it: walking down a hallway, judging someone or thinking someone is less than what we perceive ourselves to be based on the color of their skin or how they are dressed, or even their physical features. The author of The Language of Prejudice, Gordon Allport, shares how we live in a society where we are ridiculed for being less than a culture who labels themselves as dominant. This essay reveals the classifications made to the American morale. Allport analyzes in many ways how language can stimulate prejudice and the connection between language and prejudice.
Prejudice can be defined as any preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience, 2. Harm or injury that results or may result from some action or judgment, and due in part to the first Amendment, which gave all Americans the right of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition, many Americans believe they have the right to verbally judge whomever and whatever they seem fit, to no extent. However these same American underestimate the impact prejudice can have on a person’s body and mind because as we all know prejudice grows. Prejudice can also affect all phases of life: the past, the present, and the future. Maya Angelou said, “ Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible.
Hurwitz, J., Peffley, M., & Sniderman, P. (1997). Racial stereotypes and whites' political views of blacks in the context of welfare and crime. American Journal of Political Science. 41, 30-60.
Bobo, L. (1999). microfoundations of a sociological approach to racism and race relations. Prejudice as group position, J. Soc. Issues 55:445–72.
Racism (n): the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other race (Wordnet search, 1), a controversial topic in today’s society, a subject that many people try to sweep under the rug, but yet a detrimental problem that has been present in America since the colonial era. Will this dilemma come to a halt? Can all Americans see each other as equals despite their skin color and nationality; and what role has it played in past generations versus today’s generations and how will it affect our future? Has this on going way of thinking gotten better or worse? These are questions raised when many think about the subject; especially members of American ethnic groups and backgrounds, because most have dealt with racial discrimination in their life time.
Northup, Temple. "Is Everyone a Little Bit Racist? Exploring Cultivation Using Implicit and Explicit Measures." Southwestern Mass Communication Journal 26.1 (2010): 29-41. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. Web. 21 Apr. 2011.
Vincent N. Parrillo is a professor who teaches Sociology at William Paterson University in New Jersey. In his short essay “Causes of Prejudice,” he states that there are many kinds of levels in prejudice that are based on six different theories. Within those six different theories, it includes authoritarian personality, self-justification, frustration, socialization, and social norms. According to Race/Class: A State of Being United, numerous writers such as Daniel Winer and Rosabelle Price Walkley has agreed with Vincent N. Parrillo “Causes of Prejudice” and describes the word prejudice as an “attitudinal system of negative beliefs, feelings and action orientation regarding a certain group or groups of people.” There are certainly more than
...r own unique ways.; however, the authors focus on different aspects of prejudice and racism, resulting in them communicating different ideas and thoughts that range from racial discrimination to stereotypical attitudes. The range of ideas attempt to engage the readers about the reality of their issues. The reality about a world where prejudice and racism still prevail in modern times. But when will prejudice and racism ever cease to exist? And if they were ever to cease from existence, what does that mean about humankind?
Shelby, T. (2002) “Is Racism in the Heart?” In G. L. Bowie, M. W. Michaels, and R. C. Solomon (Eds.), Twenty Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy (479-483). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
Racism can take on many forms that plague the brain with irrationality that affects an individual’s thoughts and actions. Racism can be a physical form, through an external action, or can branch off into unethical thoughts. This is more known to be a discriminative thought, judging a person based on impressions. This social problem can also be ignored by the oblivious persons of the crowd. Many individuals speak out about how racial tension is long gone and forever forgotten ever since the first African-American was elected to be president in 2008, but this can be evidently proven false. Racial tension is still here to target the minorities in the forms of affirmative action and Ferguson conflicts.
Many often justify discrimination through the means of statistical evidence, claiming that groups that are stigmatized deserve their treatment by citing negative attributes about them. However, this paradox is frequently unresolved to even those who realize the fallacy in discrimination. Several researchers in social psychology, including Galen V. Bodenhausen and Jennifer A. Richeson, have offered potential reasons behind this happening; “It should come as no surprise that individuals’ attitudes and stereotypical beliefs affect the way intergroup interactions unfold. Indeed, individuals who harbor negative stereotypes about the group membership of their interaction partners often display behavior that conforms to their stereotypical beliefs”(Bodenhausen & Richeson, 361). This shows how those discriminated against are likely to adapt to their societal status, and thus often behave according to their respective stereotypes. From this, one can begin to infer that this paradox is a reinforcing cycle, and that prejudice forms as a result of discrimination. Building upon this trend, in the final chapters of the text, a Peters reflects on the trends and results derived from Jane’s exercises, and how it related to the act of discrimination itself; “But even more pernicious, [the exercise] also illustrates how the results of discrimination tend
Black youths arrested for drug possession are 48 times more likely to wind up in prison than white youths arrested for the same crime under the same circumstances. Many people are unaware how constant racism has been throughout the years. It is important to understand the problems of racism because it is relevant to society. Racism in America is very real and Americans need to know it.
Racism and prejudice has been present in almost every civilization and society throughout history. Even though the world has progressed greatly in the last couple of decades, both socially and technologically, racism, hatred and prejudice still exists today, deeply embedded in old-fashioned, narrow-minded traditions and values.
An implicit bias refers to the attitudes and stereotypes that affect our behavior in an unconscious manner. Though we are not consciously aware of our implicit biases, these can impact our actions and be revealed in our interpersonal interactions. Because these biases do not show up on a screen or a survey, psychologists created an Implicit Association Test which studies the association between race and judgements. Work by psychologists on this test revealed that individuals associate positive attributes and stereotypes with whites than with people of color. Psychologists also revealed that many minorities often hold implicit biases against their own, despite explicit beliefs in racial equality. This can be seen as internalized racism, when members of a racial group accept negative stereotypes and attitudes towards their own group. These people would be more willing and acceptable of the racial inequalities that persist today and less willing to take up measures to correct them. Another interesting approach to solving the paradox has been to focus not on the things that perpetuate racism but rather on those who experience it. As a result of implicit bias, those who experience racism may accept racist ideologies and in turn engage in interactions that extend their subordination. A study by psychologist Philomena Essed examined how racism affects the interactions of black women in