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Discrimination and Prejudice. Patterns of intergroup relations. Is the denial of equal treatment to individuals based on their group membership. Involves behavior Can be individual or societal In most extreme form can lead to physical harm or even death. Discrimination. Legal.
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Discrimination and Prejudice Patterns of intergroup relations
Is the denial of equal treatment to individuals based on their group membership. • Involves behavior • Can be individual or societal • In most extreme form can lead to physical harm or even death Discrimination
Legal Institutionalized Is an product of the structure of a society. In this case it becomes a part of a society. Example: leads to low-income communities. • Upheld by law • Examples: • the apartheid system in South Africa. • Women in the U.S. prior to 1920 • African Americans and the Jim Crow laws Types of discrimination
Protestors to Brown v Board of Education (1956) ended practice of separate-but-equal in the U.S. schools. Discrimination
Definition: An unsupported generalization about a category of people. • Prejudice refers to attitudes. • You can be prejudiced for or against something. • Sociologists focus on the negative attitudes. Prejudice
Stereotype is an oversimplified, exaggerated, or unfavorable generalization about a group of people. • Examples: All Irish people have bad tempers, all Jewish people are cheap. • Consequences: If people are told often enough and long enough that they, or others are socially, mentally, or physically inferior, they may come to believe it. Stereotyping
Robert K. Merton • A prediction that results in behavior that makes the prediction come true. Self-fulfilling prophecy
The belief that one’s own race or ethnic group is naturally superior to other races or ethnic groups. • Throughout history, racism has been used as a justification for atrocities such as slavery and genocide. Racism
Merton’s Patterns of Prejudice and Discrimination Prejudice and discrimination are related, but they do not always go hand-in-hand. Individuals can combine discrimination and prejudice in four possible ways.
Active Bigot Timid Bigot Prejudiced but is afraid to discriminate because of societal pressure. • Prejudiced and openly discriminates against others. Bigots
Fair-Weather All-Weather Not prejudiced and does not discriminate. • Not prejudiced but discriminates anyway because of societal pressure. Liberals
What is the difference between discrimination and prejudice? Give an example to illustrate the difference. • Is it possible to be both prejudiced and be discriminatory? Prejudiced but not discriminatory? Explain. Review Questions