What term refers to a belief that one racial category is innately superior or inferior to another?

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  1. Social Science
  2. Sociology
  3. Ethnic Studies

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Society the basics by John Macionis - Chapter 11 Sociology: Race and Ethnicity

Terms in this set (34)

race

a socially constructed category of people who share biologically transmitted traits that members of a society consider important

ethnicity

a shared cultural heritage

minority

any category of people distinguished by physical or cultural difference that a society sets apart and subordinates

prejudice

a rigid and unfair generalization about an entire category of people.
May in relation to a particular social class, sex, sexual orientation, age, political affiliation, race, or ethnicity.

Prejudices are prejudgments

Rooted in culture so everyone has some measure of prejudice

stereotype

An exaggerated description applied to every person in some category.
Note: Especially harmful to minorities in the workplace.

Social Distance Scale

Refers to how closely people are willing to interact with members of some category.
1 - Student opinion shows a trend toward greater social acceptance.
2 - People see less differences between various minorities.
3 - The terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2011, might have reduced social acceptance of Arabs and Muslims.

Emory Bogardus

Performed the Social Distance Scale study and found that people felt more socially distance from some categories than others.

Racism

the belief that one racial category is innately superior or inferior to another.
• Powerful and harmful form of prejudice
• Existed throughout world history
• Widespread throughout U.S. history

Scapegoat theory

Prejudice springs from frustration among people who are themselves disadvantaged

Scapegoat

A person or category of people, typically with little power, whom other people unfairly blame for their own troubles
- They have little power
- Usually are "Safe Targets"

Authoritarian personality theory

Extreme prejudice is a personality trait of certain
individuals.
Rigidly conform to conventional cultural values.
See moral issues as clear‐cut matters of right and wrong.

Culture theory

Claims that although extreme prejudice is found in certain people, some prejudice is found in everyone.

"Culture of Prejudice"

Taught to view certain categories of people as "better" or "worse" than others

Conflict theory

Proposes that prejudice is used as a tool by powerful people to oppress others.
Another conflict-based argument is that minorities encourage "race consciousness" to win created power and privileges.

discrimination

Unequal treatment of various categories of people.
Prejudice refers to attitudes and discrimination is a matter of action both positive and negative, subtle or blatant.

Institutional Discrimination and Prejudice

bias built into the operation of society's institutions

pluralism

A state in which people of all races and ethnicities are distinct but have equal social standing

U.S. not pluralistic for three reasons

1 - Although most of us value our cultural heritage, few people who live with others of their category do so entirely by choice
2 - Our tolerance for social diversity goes only so far
3 -People of various colors and cultures do not have equal social standing.

Segregation

The physical and social separation of categories of people. It reinforces separation that harms a minority. It by "de jure segregation" - by law or "de facto segregation" - in fact.

Assimilation

The process by which minorities gradually adopt patterns of the dominant culture.
The amount of varies by category and It involves changes in ethnicity but not in race.

Hypersegregation

Having little contact of any kind with people beyond the local community

Miscegenation

Biological reproduction by partners of different racial categories

Genocide

The systematic killing of one category of people by another.
Deadly form of racism and ethnocentrism.
Common throughout history

U.S. Racial/Ethnic Groups

• Native Americans
• White Anglo-Saxon Protestants
• African Americans
• Chinese Americans
• Japanese Americans
• Mexican Americans
• Cuban Americans
• Puerto Ricans
• Arab Americans
• Other Ethnic Groups

Native Americans

Refers to hundreds of societies who first settled the Western Hemisphere.
15th century: Numbered in the millions.
By 1990: Numbered 250,000
Centuries of conflict and genocide

White Anglo-Saxon Protestants

Most are of English ancestry
Includes Scotland and Wales
Not subject to prejudice and discrimination
Cultural legacy
English dominant language
Protestantism dominant religion
Historical dominance is evident
Widespread use of "race" and "ethnicity" to describe everyone but them.

African Americans

Slavery was foundation of southern colonies' plantation system.
400,000 forcibly transported to the U.S.
Filth, disease and suicide killed many.
No control over their lives.
Declaration of Independence did not apply.

"American Dilemma"

Democratic society's denial of basic rights and freedoms to an entire category of people

Resolution of the dilemma

African Americans defined as naturally inferior and undeserving of equality.
• 13th Amendment outlawed slavery.
• 14th Amendment granted citizenship to all people born in the U.S.
• 15th Amendment gave the right to vote.
• Jim Crow Laws: Institutionalized discrimination that segregated U.S. society into two racial castes.
• 1950s and 1960s: National civil rights movement.
• Black Power Movement: Gave African Americans sense of pride and purpose.
• Political clout has greatly increased.
• People of African ancestry have struggled for social equality for 400 years.
• Discrimination is illegal; research documents long‐ term decline in prejudice against African Americans

Asian Amrican

• Category marked by enormous cultural diversity.
• 4.5% of U.S. population
• Commands attention and respect as high achievers.
• "Model Minority" stereotype: Misleading because it hides the differences in class standards and poverty found among their ranks

Chinese Americans

• Immigration began in 1849 with the gold rush
• Economic hard times led to prejudice and
discrimination
• "Yellow Peril" : Laws passed to bar from many occupations
• Chinese men outnumbered Chinese women 20 to 1: High demand of Chinese women led to their loss of their submissiveness
• Racial hostility: Moved East to urban China towns, Traditions and kinship networks (clans)
• WWII need for labor led to end of ban on Chinese immigration
• By 1950, many experienced upward social mobility: Hold high‐prestige positions, Science and information technology
• Despite success, Chinese Americans still deal with subtle and sometimes blatant prejudice and discrimination
• Poverty still high among those socially isolated in Chinatowns

Cultural Relativism

The practice of judging a culture by its own standards.

Ethnic Group

A group that is set apart from others primarily because of its national origin or distinctive cultural patterns.

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What term refers to a belief that one racial category is innately superior or inferior to another quizlet?

racism. the belief that one racial category is innately superior or inferior to another. scapegoat. a person or category of people, typically with little power, whom other people unfairly blame for their own troubles. discrimination.

What are beliefs that one's ethnic group is inherently superior to other groups called?

Sociology. the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture. a tendency to view other ethnic or cultural groups from the perspective of one's own.

What is ethnicity in sociology?

What Is Ethnicity? Ethnicity is a term that describes shared culture—the practices, values, and beliefs of a group. This might include shared language, religion, and traditions, among other commonalities. Like race, the term “ethnicity” is difficult to describe and its meaning has changed over time.

What is race in social stratification?

Racial stratification is a system of structured inequality, where access to scarce and desired resources is based on ethnic/racial group membership. Racial stratification assigns roles and functions to individuals based on their ethnic-racial group membership3.