Race & Ethnicity

Race & Ethnicity

1. Social Meaning

   • Race = Category composed of people who share some biologically transmitted traits that members of a society consider important
     • Race is socially constructed
       • No biologically pure race
       • Racial types are misleading
   • Ethnicity = shared cultural heritage
     • More variability than race
     • Most people identify with more than one ethnicity
   • Minority = category distinguished by physical or cultural traits who are socially disadvantaged
     • Share distinctive identity
     • Occupy a subordinate status

2. Prejudice & Stereotypes

   • Prejudice = rigid & irrational generalization about a category of people
     • Prejudgements
     • May be positive or negative
   • Stereotype = exaggerated descriptions applied to every person in some category
   • Social distance is how closely people are willing to interact with certain categories of people
     • Emory Bogardus developed the 7-point social distance scale
       • Trend toward greater acceptance
       • People see less difference in minorities
   • Racism = belief that one racial category is innately superior or inferior to another
   • Theories of prejudice
     • Scapegoat theory from frustrations held by disadvantaged people
       • Scapegoat = people with little power whom people blame for their troubles
     • Authoritarian prejudice views prejudice as a personality trait
     • Conflict theory states that people use prejudice to justify oppression