SOC 1101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Institutional Racism, Ecological Fallacy, Trait Theory
19 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Race and Ethnicity !
!
Aboriginal peoples!
-account for 3.8% of the population !
-fastest growing segment of Canadian population !
-despite impressive strides, remain at higher risk for illness and die younger than the
Canadian population as a while !
-inadequate housing and food !
-1 in 4 less than $10.00 per hour !
Race and Ethnicity !
-a race is a category composed of people who share biologically transmitted traits that
members of a society deem socially significant.!
- race is a significant concept chiefly because most people consider it to be such !
-ethnicity is a shared cultural heritage !
- races may also be analyzed as ethnic categories in many cases !
-a racial or ethnic minority is a category of people distinguished by physical or cultural traits,
who are socially disadvantaged !
Discrimination and Racism !
-discrimination refers to a negative action toward members of a specific social group !
- institutional discrimination occurs when a person acts on discriminatory guidelines of an
institution (such as an employer) !
-racism refers to the belief that one racial category is innately superior or inferior to another !
- institutional prejudice and discrimination refers to bias in attitude or action inherent in the
operation of a society’s institutions !
Prejudice!
-negative assessment about what a person or group is like before you actually meet them !
-Ecological fallacy !
- drawing conclusions about individual attributes from date gathered from an entire group !
-exception fallacy !
- drawing conclusions about an entire group based on observations of individuals!
-stereotype !
- sweeping generalizations about a category of people that are applied to all members of that
category!
Historical Manifestations of Prejudice and Discrimination !
-“Old- fashioned” racism comprises blatantly negative racial stereotypes and open opposition
to racial equality !
-“Modern Racism” involves the expression of ‘hidden’ racial prejudice only under conditions in
which accusations of racism may be avoided !
- when it is safe, socially acceptable, or easy to rationalize !
Theorizing Prejudice and Discrimination !
-Psychological Theories !
- Scapegoat theory (Dallad et el., 1939) !
- prejudice and discrimination originate in the frustrations of people who want to blame
someone else for their problems !
- Authoritarian Personality Theory (Adorno, 1950) !
1
Document Summary
Account for 3. 8% of the population ! Fastest growing segment of canadian population ! Despite impressive strides, remain at higher risk for illness and die younger than the. 1 in 4 less than . 00 per hour ! A race is a category composed of people who share biologically transmitted traits that members of a society deem socially signi cant. Race is a signi cant concept chie y because most people consider it to be such ! Ethnicity is a shared cultural heritage ! Races may also be analyzed as ethnic categories in many cases ! A racial or ethnic minority is a category of people distinguished by physical or cultural traits, who are socially disadvantaged ! Discrimination refers to a negative action toward members of a speci c social group ! Institutional discrimination occurs when a person acts on discriminatory guidelines of an institution (such as an employer) !
