1. How do sociologists
define by minority?
A minority is a group of people who,
because of their physical or cultural
characteristics, are singled out from the
others in the society in which they live for
differential and unequal treatment, and
who therefore regard themselves as
objects of collective discrimination.
Minority carries with it the exclusion from
full participation in the life of the society.
2. Identify the five key
features of a minority.
1) distinctive physical or cultural
characteristics that can be used to
separate it from the majority,
2) domination by the majority
3) traits labeled by the majority as inferior
4) a common sense of identity, with strong
group loyalty
5) ascribed status
3. Explain the difference between
how biologists and sociologists
view race.
Biologists use characteristics such as skin
color, hair color, hair texture, facial
features, head form, eye color, and height
to determine race.
Sociologists consider racial classifications
arbitrary and misleading. For students of
sociology, social attitudes and
characteristics that relate to race are more
important than superficial physical
differences.
4. Define assimilation and explain the four
patterns of racial relations that occur in the
United States when minority groups are
accepted by the majority.
Assimilation refers to the blending or fusing of
minority groups into the dominant society. When a
racial or ethnic minority is integrated into a society,
its members are given full participation in all
aspects of the society. Assimilation has taken
several forms in the United States: Anglo-conformity,
in which traditional American
institutions are maintained; melting pot, in which
all ethnic and racial minorities voluntarily blend
together; cultural pluralism, the idea of a “tossed
salad” in which traditions and cultures exist side by
side; and accommodation, in which the minority
maintains its own culturally unique way of life.
5. Identify and explain the three patterns of racial
relations that occur when minority groups
are rejected by the majority.
When minority groups are rejected by the
dominant group, three basic patterns of
conflict occur: genocide, the systematic
effort to destroy an entire population;
population transfer, in which a minority is
forced either to move to a remote location
or to leave entirely the territory controlled
by the majority; and subjugation, in which a
minority is denied equal access to the
culture and lifestyle of the larger society.
6. Explain why racism is an extreme
form of prejudice.
Racism is an extreme form of
prejudice because it not only involves
judging people unfairly, it assumes
that a person’s own race or ethnic
group is superior. Racists believe that
discrimination or exclusion is morally
justified because of their own
natural superiority.
7. Discuss the relationship between
prejudice and discrimination.
While prejudice involves holding
biased opinions, discrimination
involves treating people
unequally. Prejudice doesn’t
always result in discrimination,
but it often does.
8. Explain the relationship between
hate crimes and stereotypes.
Stereotypes are sometimes
created to justify unethical
behavior against minority groups.
People who commit hate crimes
have vocabularies filled
with demeaning stereotypes that
attempt to justify violence
against the targets.