Racial/Ethnic
Racial/Ethnic Prejudice
Prejudice and
and Discrimination:
Discrimination:
Causes,
Causes, Patterns
Patterns and
and Consequences
Consequences
1.
The Meaning of Prejudice, Social Distance,
and Discrimination
2.
The Vicious Cycle of P+D
3.
Causes of P+D
4.
Patterns of P+D
Who is a “Timid Bigot?”
Racial/Ethnic
Racial/Ethnic Prejudice
Prejudice and
and Discrimination:
Discrimination:
Causes,
Causes, Patterns
Patterns and
and Consequences
Consequences
5. America’s Unique “Dilemma?”
(Gunnar Myrdal)
6. Evidence of P+D Today: At ISU, in the
USA, in the World?
7. Solutions?
Prejudice,
Prejudice, Social
Social Distance,
Distance,
Discrimination
Discrimination and
and Hate
Hate Crimes
Crimes
Prejudice:
Literally means to prejudge another
person or group. Not always bad.
Concern with irrationally based
negative attitudes.
Social Distance: The degree of desired social intimacy
between groups.
Prejudice,
Prejudice, Social
Social Distance,
Distance,
Discrimination
Discrimination and
and Hate
Hate Crimes
Crimes
Discrimination:
Overt action that denies opportunities for
some and results in preferential treatment for
others.
Hate Crime:
State of Iowa law and Ames ordinance passed
July 1, 1990 (simple misdemeanor for Ames,
a felony offense for the state). It includes
anything done to: “Injure, oppress, intimidate,
or interfere with someone’s rights or
privileges.”
Basic
Basic Concepts
Concepts (cont’d)
(cont’d)
Race: People who share biological traits deemed
socially significant.
May not make much sense
Extensive mixing for centuries
Ethnic Group: People who share a cultural heritage,
common language, religion, social identity.
Basic
Basic Concepts
Concepts (cont’d)
(cont’d)
Minority: People distinguished by physical or cultural
traits and are socially disadvantaged.
Not just based on numbers
Minorities lack power
Do
Do you
you know
know these
these people?
people?
Real Name
New Name
1. Cherilyn Sarhisian
1. Cher
2. Cheryl Stoppelmoor
2. Cheryl Ladd
3. Robert Allen Zimmerman
3. Bob Dylan
4. Anna May Bullock
4. Tina Turner
5. Ramon Estervez
5. Martin Sheen
Why did they change their names?
Racist U.S.?
U.
U. S.
S. Racial
Racial Composition
Composition
1990 1998
2005
2050
White
83.9
82.6
81.3
72.8
Black
12.3
12.7
13.2
15.7
American Indian
0.8
0.9
0.9
1.1
THE VICIOUS CYCLE
1
1 PREJUDICE & DISCRIMINATION
BEGIN
4
2
3
2 AS A RESULT OF PREJUDICE
& DISCRIMINATION A GROUP
IS SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED
3 THIS DISADVANTAGE IS
INTERPRETED AS EVIDENCE
THAT THE MINORITY GROUP IS
INFERIOR
4 THIS CREATES RENEWED
PREJUDICE & DISCRIMINATION
Theories
Theories of
of Prejudice
Prejudice
1. Scapegoat Theory
(Frustrated and Disadvantaged Unfairly Blame Others.)
2. Authoritarian Personality
(Rigid and Conforming Persons, See Moral Issues as Clear-Cut.
Strongly Ethnocentric)
3. Cultural Theory: People Learn to be Prejudiced.
(Learn Desired “Social Distance” To Keep From Other People.)
4. Conflict Theory of Prejudice
(Prejudice Used To Justify Oppression of Others. Elites May
Foster It To Divide People.)
PREJUDICE & DISCRIMINATION
PREJUDICE
DISCRIMINATION
YES
NO
BIGOT
FAIR WEATHER
LIBERAL
TIMID
BIGOT
ALL WEATHER
LIBERAL
YES
NO
Women
Women and
and Blacks
Blacks in
in U.S.:
U.S.: “Minorities”
“Minorities”
 Prejudice Toward Both
 Women Actually Numeric Majority
 Parallels:
High Social Visibility
Assigned a “Place”
Originally Forms of Property
“Superstitious”
Unable to Vote
“Emotional, Not Rational”
“Inferior” Mental Endowment
Evidence
Evidence of
of PP ++ D
D Today:
Today:
In
In U.S.,
U.S., World-Wide,
World-Wide, ISU?
ISU?
Weekly Earnings by Race and Gender:
Hispanic Women
Hispanic Men
$337
$390
Black Women
Black Men
$400
$468
White Women
White Men
$468
$615
Total
$523
Black
Black Imprisonment
Imprisonment Rates
Rates
USA
3,109 per 100,100
South Africa
729 per 100,100
Life
Life Expectancy
Expectancy at
at Birth
Birth
Whites
75.2 years
African Americans
69.2 years
Who
Who Is
Is Most
Most Likely
Likely to
to Be
Be aa Victim
Victim
of
of Violent
Violent Crime?
Crime?
Blacks, Whites, Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans
 Native Americans – greatest risk
 Black-White – victim rates narrowing
 Whites – 82.2% of victims, 84.2% of population
 Blacks – 14.7% victims, 12.1% of population
Evidence
Evidence cont’d.
cont’d.
•
Univ. of Wisconsin “diversity” photo disaster is
comparable to:
•
Ford Motor Co. of England “Faces at Ford”
blunder

Is the Univ. racist? Is Ford?
SOCIAL DISTANCE SCALE,
SPRING 1999
RESPONSE CATEGORIES
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
CLOSE KINSHIP BY MARRIAGE
VERY GOOD FRIENDS
AS MY NEIGHBORS
SAME WORK GROUP
SPEAKING ACQUAINTANCE ONLY
AS VISITORS TO MY COUNTRY
EXCLUDE FROM MY COUNTRY
“MINORITY GROUP”
SCORE
EXCLUDE
ITALIANS
2.32
2%
JEWS
CANADIANS
TURKS
AFRICAN AMERICANS
CHINESE
GERMANS
HOMOSEXUALS
ARABS
RUSSIANS
AMERICAN INDIANS
LAOTIANS
ANGLO AMERICANS
2.52
2.18
3.05
2.31
2.88
2.20
4.11
3.37
2.75
2.46
2.96
2.07
1%
1%
2%
2%
4%
1%
21%
9%
3%
1%
5%
1%
CHANGE IN PREJUDICE
3.5
3
2.5
2
1975
1984
1999
1.5
1
0.5
0
ITALIANS
AFRICAN
AMERICANS
JEWS
CHINESE
CHANGE IN PREJUDICE
6
5
4
1975
1984
1999
3
2
1
0
TURKS
RUSSIANS
ARABS
HOMOSEXUALS
GENDER
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
MALE
FEMALE
Are
Are We
We All
All Prejudiced?
Prejudiced?
Stereotypes
1. Muslim religion
supports terrorism
Believed by
Hispanics
Whites
2. Catholics too controlled
by church
Asian Americans 57%
Blacks
49%
3. Hispanics have too
many children
Asian Americans 68%
Whites
50%
48%
41%
Are We All Prejudiced? (cont’d)
Stereotypes
4. Blacks want to live
on welfare
Believed by
Asian Americans 31%
Hispanics
26%
5. Jews choose money
over people
Blacks
Hispanics
54%
43%
6. Asian-Americans are
crafty and devious
Hispanics
Blacks
46%
41%
Harris poll for NCCJ, 1994
Solutions?
Solutions?
 How to react if your child uses racist language?
 How to react if your child is subject to racist abuse?
 Strategies for communities, organizations, societies?
Solutions?
Solutions?
Solutions have roots based in conflict or functional theory:
Conflict
Functionalism
Hate crime legislation
Job creation/education
Forced school busing
Promote positive social
interaction
Affirmative action
Promote diversity
ABA call for ban on
death penalty
Parents teach tolerance
Which is most favored?
Social
Social Strategy
Strategy to
to Reduce
Reduce Desired
Desired
Social
Social Distance
Distance
Influence of Previous Contacts on Desired Social Distance
Negative
Not
Close
Close
Positive
Second
Second
most
most
Third
Third
most
most
Most
MostS.D.
S.D.
desired
desired
Least
Least
Parents’
Parents’ Strategy
Strategy to
to Reduce
Reduce Prejudice
Prejudice

Stereotyping may be one of first “skills”
children learn, age 4-5.

Be prejudiced by age of 7.
Parent’s
Parent’s Strategy
Strategy to
to Reduce
Reduce Prejudice
Prejudice (cont’d)
(cont’d)
1.
Don’t tolerate ethnic jokes, slurs
2.
Use books, TV, news as tools
3.
Answer questions directly, e.g. why dark skin?
(Melanin in skin)
4.
Provide interaction opportunities
5.
Check your own prejudices
(Mayo Clinic, February 2000)