Patterns of intergroup relations

* Is the denial of equal treatment to individuals based on their group membership. * Involves behavior * Can be individual or societal * In most extreme form can lead to physical harm or even death

* Upheld by law * Examples: * the apartheid system in South Africa. * Women in the U.S. prior to 1920 * African Americans and the Jim Crow laws * Is an product of the structure of a society. * In this case it becomes a part of a society. * Example: leads to low- income communities.

* Protestors to Brown v Board of Education (1956) ended practice of separate-but-equal in the U.S. schools.

* Definition: An unsupported generalization about a category of people. * Prejudice refers to attitudes. * You can be prejudiced for or against something. * Sociologists focus on the negative attitudes.

* Stereotype is an oversimplified, exaggerated, or unfavorable generalization about a group of people. * Examples: All Irish people have bad tempers, all Jewish people are cheap. * Consequences: If people are told often enough and long enough that they, or others are socially, mentally, or physically inferior, they may come to believe it.

* Robert K. Merton * A prediction that results in behavior that makes the prediction come true.

* The belief that one’s own race or ethnic group is naturally superior to other races or ethnic groups. * Throughout history, racism has been used as a justification for atrocities such as slavery and genocide.

Prejudice and discrimination are related, but they do not always go hand-in-hand. Individuals can combine discrimination and prejudice in four possible ways.

* Prejudiced and openly discriminates against others. * Prejudiced but is afraid to discriminate because of societal pressure.

* Not prejudiced but discriminates anyway because of societal pressure. * Not prejudiced and does not discriminate.

* What is the difference between discrimination and prejudice? Give an example to illustrate the difference. * Is it possible to be both prejudiced and be discriminatory? Prejudiced but not discriminatory? Explain.