MGMT 4640 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Ambivalent Sexism, Aversive Racism, Fundamental Attribution Error
Ch 2 Theories and Thinking About Diversity
Theories and Thinking About Diversity
• Discuss the meaning of the terms minority group and non-dominant group.
• Characteristics used to identify minority groups and non-dominant groups.
• Review processes related to stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination.
• What organizations can do to promote diversity and inclusion.
What is a Minority?
• Minority or Non-dominant Group
• Those subordinated to majority or dominant group members in terms of power, prestige, and
privilege.
• Does not necessarily refer to groups that are numerically fewer than majority group members.
• Have four common characteristics: identifiability, differential power, the experience of
discrimination, and group awareness
Characteristics of Minorities
• Identifiability
• Distinguishable, readily apparent differences in the physical or cultural traits of minority and
majority group members.
• These are sometimes artificially constructed to increase identifiability.
• Differential power
• The dominant group’s use of power to control non-dominant groups who have less power
• In their control of resources, the powerful also control access to education, employment,
health care and other things that affect life chances of those without power.
• Discrimination
• Differential and pejorative actions that serve to limit the social, political, or economic
opportunities of members of particular groups
• The types of differences that are emphasized and ignored depend on choices of the dominant
group in a society.
• Group awareness
• The self-identification response of minority group members to subordination and
discrimination by the majority. Group awareness may also come with resistance and activism.
• ∗ Although the table is adapted from Dworkin and Dworkin, some categories were added and
others were deleted. The ratings of the levels of appropriateness of the group to the criteria are
the author’s.
• † Aside from Whites and men, all groups are non-dominant groups.
• ‡ Dworkin and Dworkin’s definition of group awareness as resulting from discrimination
makes this less relevant for Whites, although White ethnic identity is increasing—see Chapter
7. Group awareness for men of color varies by race but would not result from discrimination
by women because women are not “dominant” to men.
• ∗ Although the table is adapted from Dworkin and Dworkin, some categories were added and
others were deleted. The ratings of the levels of appropriateness of the group to the criteria are
the author’s.
• † Aside from Whites and men, all groups are non-dominant groups.
• ‡ Dworkin and Dworkin’s definition of group awareness as resulting from discrimination
makes this less relevant for Whites, although White ethnic identity is increasing—see Chapter
7. Group awareness for men of color varies by race but would not result from discrimination
by women because women are not “dominant” to men.
