Chapter Preview · Section 3
Theories of Prejudice and Discrimination (pages 284–289)
Prejudice refers to attitudes, while discrimination is
about behavior. Prejudice often leads to discrimination,
but in some instances discrimination creates
prejudiced attitudes due to stereotyping. Each of the
three major perspectives looks at different aspects of
prejudice.
• prejudice
• racism
• discrimination
• hate crime
• stereotype
• self-fulfilling prophecy
Has there ever been a time when
you’ve felt discriminated against
because of someone else’s
prejudices?
A. Yes
B. No
C. It depends on the
situation
0%
A
A. A
B. B
C.
C 0%
0%
B
C
Prejudice, Racism, and Discrimination
• To a sociologist, prejudice refers to the
widely-held preconceptions of a group
(minority or majority) and its individual
members.
• Prejudice involves a generalization based
on biased or insufficient information.
Prejudice, Racism, and Discrimination
(cont.)
• Racism is an extreme form of prejudice.
Racists believe that discrimination or
exclusion is morally justified because of
their own natural superiority.
• Discrimination involves acting upon those
biased opinions by treating people unfairly.
Does prejudice always results in
discrimination?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Sometimes
0%
A
A. A
B. B
C.0% C
B
0%
C
Hate Crimes
• A hate crime is a criminal act that is
motivated by extreme prejudice.
• Each of the perspectives—functionalist,
conflict, and symbolic interactionism—can
help us understand reasons for hate
crimes.
Hate Groups in
America
Do you agree with the following
statement: “Hate crimes occur in
relatively small numbers, but the
frequency is increasing.”
A. Very much
B. Somewhat
C. Not very much
D. Not at all
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Stereotypes
• A stereotype is a set of ideas—based on
distortion, exaggeration, and
oversimplification—that is applied to all
members of a group.
Have you ever been guilty of
stereotyping a person and later found
out that you were wrong?
A. Always
B. Sometimes
0%
D
A
0%
C
D. Not sure
B
C. Never
A. A
B. B
C.0%C
0%
D. D
The Functionalist Perspective
• Negative aspects of prejudice and racism:
– The social, political, educational, and
economic costs to society are extremely
high.
– The safety and stability of the larger
society are at risk due to violence.
The Functionalist Perspective (cont.)
• Positive aspect of prejudice and racism:
– The self-concepts within the majority group
are strengthened due to a feeling of
superiority.
Do you agree with the functionalist
view of the “positive aspect” of
discrimination?
A. Agree
B. Disagree
C. Sometimes
D. Not sure
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
The Conflict Perspective
• According to the conflict theory, a majority
uses prejudice and discrimination as
weapons of power to control a minority.
• They do this in order to increase control
over property, goods, and other resources.
• Minorities tend to view one another as
competitors instead of allies in the struggle
against the majority.
Do you think the example in the book,
demonstrates the conflict perspective?
A. Very much
B. Somewhat
C. Not very much
D. Not at all
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
• According to this perspective, members of a
society learn to be prejudiced in much the
same way that they learn to be patriotic.
• Two stages in learning to be prejudiced:
– Pregeneralized learning period—children
overhear parents making racist statements,
but they have not yet learned to separate
people by race or ethnic group.
– Total rejection stage—children can use
physical clues to sort people into groups.
The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
(cont.)
• Language itself can also reflect prejudices.
• Self-fulfilling prophecy—an expectation that
leads to behavior that then causes the
expectation to become reality—also plays a
large role in this perspective.
• Members of a minority fail because of the low
expectations they have for their own success.
Prejudice and
Discrimination
Do you agree that language reflects
prejudices?
A. Agree
B. Disagree
C. Not sure
D. Sometimes
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
U.S. Resident Minority Populations, 2000 and 2003
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Statistical
Abstract of the United States, 2004–2005.
Majority and Minority Median Household Incomes
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005.
The U.S. Population by Race and Ethnicity, 2000 and 2050
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2004.
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005.
Hate Groups in the
United States
Source: Adapted from Southern Poverty Law
Center Intelligence Project, “Active U.S. Hate
Groups in 2004.”
Sociology Chapter
Transparencies
Hate Crimes in the United States
Projected Changes in U.S.
Racial/Ethnic Composition
Who’s on the Net—By Income Level
Who’s on the Net—Race and Education
prejudice
widely held negative attitudes toward a
group (minority or majority) and its
individual members
racism
an extreme form of prejudice that assumes
superiority of one group over others
discrimination
treating people differently based on
ethnicity, race, religion, or culture
hate crime
a criminal act motivated by prejudice
stereotype
a distorted, exaggerated, or oversimplified
image applied to a category of people
self-fulfilling prophecy
an expectation that leads to behavior that
causes the expectation to become reality