Prejudice

The United States is a country that is characterized by its unique diversity of its population. Racial variability is extremely common in major cities throughout the U.S. Such diversity can lead to negative thoughts and feelings that can target a certain group. Prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination go hand in hand. They are interrelated due to the fact that a distinguishable group is being targeted. All these factors are extremely important but the focus for today will be on prejudice. This attitude can be harmful to the victim and to the person who advocates it. I will define the meaning of prejudice and what causes individuals or groups to have these negative attitudes toward certain distinguishable groups. I will also discuss if it is possible to reduce prejudice or it can't and won't be changed.

Is discrimination nature or nurture? I believe it's the combination of both because it has been said that animals tend to like others on the basis of their similar genetic components. Although one important factor, that people need to know is that prejudice can be a positive and negative issue. Society always thinks of this issue in a pessimistic manner. Some prejudice thoughts can be positive, for example one can say, "Oh those Mexicans are so enthusiastic." This is a prejudice thought but its not offensive statement. Another misjudgement is that when people hear the word prejudice, they automatically think of discrimination. These two words are similar but have distinct meanings. Prejudice is defined as a hostile or negative attitude toward a particular group, as discrimination is the action caused by these negative feelings. But as humans, we tend to react to these feelings, attitudes and thoughts. Our reaction can lead to discrimination and will cause harm to the group that is being criticized. Minority groups like African-Americans and Hispanics are usually the victims of prejudice thoughts. Religious groups were also victims of discrimination. As the decades go by many other groups arise and they are not necessarily ethnic based. Homosexuals, women and disabled individuals are also judged on the basis of their lifestyle or disability. The question is though, what causes individuals to be prejudice against others.

Having a high self-esteem is very valuable. According to Aronson people who have good self-esteem view themselves as good, competent and decent. People who have a low self-esteem tend to put themselves down. This can cause a person to have a prejudice attitude toward another group. By engaging in this negative attitude, they feel better about themselves. A person with low self-esteem wants to denigrate a group and that helps them feel superior. If an individual feels superior, it helps their level of self-esteem and it rises but that can cause the targeted person to feel inferior. Individuals with low self-esteem have trouble accepting others because they feel threatened. This can also have a negative effect against the targeted group.

The victims of harsh prejudice can also have lower levels of self-esteem. This behavior though comes from early childhood. An experiment that was conducted in the late 1940's, by two social psychologists, Kenneth Clark and Mamie Clark. African American girls were given the opportunity to chose a doll that was either black or white. The results concluded that little girls, as young as three years old, preferred playing with the white doll. These girls rejected the black doll thinking that the white one was better. This study was actually taken to the Supreme Court as evidence that separating the black and the white kids had an effect in their self-esteem. The court reached and decision and stated that this "generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way that likely ever to be undone...Separate educational facilities are therefore inherently unequal." This shows that people learn to reject or feel inferior since their childhood years. The socialization process is an important factor and generally helps a child build a high level of self-esteem. An attitude can be learned from a parent. As adults one already feels they are inferior against the dominant group. Children learn that their parents accept the rejection and therefore the child thinks it's okay Other factors can contribute to these hostile feelings, making society think and believe in a prejudice manner.

Prejudice comes from the world forming cliques. People categorize each other based on certain characteristics. They can be physical or genetical features that separate each group. I have a sister that tells me that adolescents in highschool all belong to a certain group. She states that teenagers belong to groups based on what they like to do or their personalities. For examples there are nerds, the jocks, the skaters and many other countless groups. Kids feel pressured and want to be part of the "cool gang." Children can also be thought prejudice. According to our text book "Social Psychology," Jane Elliot was a third grade teacher and she wanted to teach her students prejudice and discrimination. She separated her class into two groups based on their eye color. She then explained that the children with blue eyes were superior and the kids with brown colored eyes were less smarter and nice. Throughout the day kids with blue eyes were discriminating the students with brown eyes. They would tease them, and it even started a physical fight among the kids. The children with brown eyes felt depressed and even did poorly on their tests. She then switched and told her children that the brown eyed kids were better. They wanted revenge and they got it. This was quite interesting information. I can't believe how easy it can be for a child to have this negative attitude. Now I can see how prejudiced can be taught by parents or other influential people in a child's life. For example, a member of the Ku Klux Klan can teach their children to think like them. They start to believe that the white race is superior and that others are worthless. Thoughts and feelings of ethnocentrism begin to be part of their life. As we can see, assembling groups can lead to a pattern of prejudice and discrimination.

Separating ourselves into groups contributes to this hostility. People begin categorizing themselves with members that have similar interests. As this happens they begin to form in-groups and out-groups. An in-group is defined as a group of people united by common beliefs, attitudes, or interest and characteristically excluding outsiders. The out-group is a group of people excluded from or not belonging to one's own group, especially when viewed as subordinate or contemptibly different. A British social psychologist, Henri Tajfel, believes that they purpose behind all this is