Sociology Chapter 11 - Race and Ethnicity

Questions and Answers

What is race?

A category based on religion

A form of discrimination

A biologically transmitted trait category (correct)

A shared cultural heritage

What is ethnicity?

A shared cultural heritage

Define minority.

Any category of people distinguished by physical or cultural difference that a society sets apart and subordinates.

What is prejudice?

A rigid and unfair generalization about an entire category of people. Signup and view all the answers

Prejudices are considered prejudgments.

True Signup and view all the answers

What is a stereotype?

An exaggerated description applied to every person in some category. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Social Distance Scale measure?

How closely people are willing to interact with members of some category. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Emory Bogardus?

The person who performed the Social Distance Scale study. Signup and view all the answers

What is racism?

The belief that one racial category is innately superior or inferior to another. Signup and view all the answers

What does scapegoat theory propose?

Prejudice springs from frustration among people who are themselves disadvantaged. Signup and view all the answers

Define scapegoat.

A person or category of people unfairly blamed for their troubles. Signup and view all the answers

What is authoritarian personality theory?

The idea that extreme prejudice is a personality trait of certain individuals. Signup and view all the answers

What is culture theory?

Claims that while extreme prejudice is found in certain people, some prejudice is found in everyone. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'culture of prejudice' refer to?

Being taught to view certain categories of people as 'better' or 'worse'. Signup and view all the answers

What does conflict theory propose about prejudice?

Prejudice is used as a tool by powerful people to oppress others. Signup and view all the answers

Define discrimination.

Unequal treatment of various categories of people. Signup and view all the answers

What is institutional discrimination?

Bias built into the operation of society's institutions. Signup and view all the answers

What does pluralism refer to?

A state in which people of all races and ethnicities are distinct but have equal social standing. Signup and view all the answers

List three reasons why the U.S. is not considered pluralistic.

<ol> <li>Few people live with others of their category entirely by choice. 2. Tolerance for social diversity is limited. 3. People of different colors and cultures do not have equal social standing.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Define segregation.

The physical and social separation of categories of people. Signup and view all the answers

What is assimilation?

The process by which minorities gradually adopt patterns of the dominant culture. Signup and view all the answers

Define hypersegregation.

Having little contact of any kind with people beyond the local community. Signup and view all the answers

What is miscegenation?

Biological reproduction by partners of different racial categories. Signup and view all the answers

Define genocide.

The systematic killing of one category of people by another. Signup and view all the answers

Name some U.S. racial and ethnic groups.

Native Americans, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, African Americans, Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, Mexican Americans, Cuban Americans, Puerto Ricans, Arab Americans. Signup and view all the answers

Who are Native Americans?

Hundreds of societies who first settled the Western Hemisphere. Signup and view all the answers

What defines White Anglo-Saxon Protestants?

Most are of English ancestry and are not subject to prejudice and discrimination. Signup and view all the answers

What historical context shapes African Americans in the U.S.?

Slavery was the foundation of the southern colonies' plantation system. Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'American Dilemma'?

Democratic society's denial of basic rights and freedoms to an entire category of people. Signup and view all the answers

How was the dilemma of African Americans resolved historically?

Through the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, Jim Crow Laws institutionalized segregation and discrimination. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes Asian Americans?

Marked by enormous cultural diversity and perceived as the 'Model Minority'. Signup and view all the answers

What historical issues have affected Chinese Americans?

Facing prejudice and discrimination from immigration laws and societal attitudes. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Concepts of Race and Ethnicity

Race: A socially constructed category based on biologically transmitted traits deemed significant by society.
Ethnicity: Involves shared cultural heritage, including traditions, language, and national origin.
Minority: A group distinguished by physical or cultural differences that society subordinates.

Prejudice and Discrimination

Prejudice: Rigid and unfair generalizations about entire categories of people, influenced by factors such as race and ethnicity.
Stereotype: An exaggerated description applied to all individuals within a particular category, with significant negative impact on minorities.
Discrimination: Refers to the unequal treatment of various groups, manifesting in actions that are positive, negative, subtle, or overt.

Theories Explaining Prejudice

Scapegoat Theory: Suggests that frustration among disadvantaged groups leads to blaming others for their troubles.
Authoritarian Personality Theory: Views extreme prejudice as a personality trait connected to conformity and a black-and-white moral worldview.
Culture Theory: Posits that while extreme prejudice exists in some individuals, moderate prejudice can be found in everyone.
Conflict Theory: Argues that prejudice serves as a tool for powerful individuals to maintain control over subordinate groups.

Social Distance Scale: Measures how closely people are willing to interact with various social categories; shifts in acceptance have been observed over time.
Institutional Discrimination: Bias ingrained in societal institutions, perpetuating inequalities.
Pluralism: Ideally promotes equal social standing among diverse racial and ethnic groups, though the U.S. struggles with genuine pluralism.

Racial and Ethnic Dynamics in the U.S.

Segregation: The enforced separation of racial and ethnic groups, leading to social and physical isolation, classified as either de jure (by law) or de facto (in practice).
Assimilation: The process where minorities adopt the dominant culture, affecting their ethnicity but not their race.
Hypersegregation: Characterized by limited contact with outside communities, reinforcing isolation.

Historical Context of Racial/Ethnic Groups

Native Americans: Experienced centuries of conflict and genocide, reducing their population from millions in the 15th century to about 250,000 by 1990.
White Anglo-Saxon Protestants: Predominantly English ancestry, historically dominant in American society without facing significant prejudice.
African Americans: Subjected to slavery, with systemic denial of rights leading to the "American Dilemma" involving entrenched racial inequalities.
Asian Americans: Noted for considerable cultural diversity, facing the "Model Minority" stereotype, which obscures the economic challenges within the group.

Specific Ethnic Group Experiences

Chinese Americans: Immigration surged during the gold rush; faced severe discrimination leading to restrictive laws and social marginalization but gained upward mobility post-WWII, despite ongoing prejudice.

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Explore key concepts in Sociology related to race and ethnicity with this flashcard quiz. Understand the definitions of important terms such as race, ethnicity, and minority status. This quiz will help you reinforce your knowledge of the social constructs that define these categories.