Discrimnation

Discrimination

Stereotyping

Some sociologists study the effects of the idea of "race" on human behavior. They also explore the impact of ethnicity. An ethnic group is a distinctive group of people within a country. Members share a cultural heritage. Ethnicity can be a basis for feeling of pride and solidarity. But, like race it can also be a basis for prejudice and has the following characteristics:

It is based on real or imaginary differences between groups
It attaches values to those differences in ways that benefit one group at the expense of others
It generalizes all members of a target group.

Discrimination occurs when prejudices are translated into action. For example a person who says that all Mexicans are lazy is guilty of prejudice, but one who refuses to hire a Mexican, is guilty of discrimination. Not all prejudices result in discrimination. Some are positive. But whether positive or negative, prejudices have a similar effect in that they reduce the individuals into categories or stereotypes

Read Joseph H. Suina story on the effects stereotyping had on his behavior in the Marines

In 1993, The Los Angeles Times printed an interview with a group of teenagers on their use of stereotyping. High-school freshmen told the reporter, "I don't mean to stereotype but sometimes I judge people by first impressions. Once, I stereotyped a white girl because I thought she was acting black to make friends. Once I got to know her, I learned she was a sweet person and that she had acted the way she did because she had grown up around blacks. That changed my mind." v How is stereotyping like a first impression? v How is it different? v How do stereotypes affect your relationships at school? v At home? v On the street?

Religious Stereotyping

Like race our religion is part of our identity. The word religion comes from the Latin word that means " to tie or bind together." Modern dictionaries define religion as " an organized system of beliefs and rituals centered on a supernatural being or beings." Those "beliefs" and "rituals" unite followers into a community of believers who share not only a faith but also a worldview. Some come to regard those who choose to follow an unfamiliar religion as suspicious, different and dangerous

Chana Schoenberg, along with a number of other high-school students across the nation, participated in the National Science Foundation Young Scholars program. Here is her experience with religious stereotyping

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	Discrimination				Stereotyping
	Some sociologists study the effects of the idea of "race" on human behavior. They also explore the impact of ethnicity. An ethnic group is a distinctive group of people within a country. Members share a cultural heritage. Ethnicity can be a basis for feeling of pride and solidarity. But, like race it can also be a basis for prejudice and has the following characteristics: It is based on real or imaginary differences between groups It attaches values to those differences in ways that benefit one group at the expense of others It generalizes all members of a target group. Discrimination occurs when prejudices are translated into action. For example a person who says that all Mexicans are lazy is guilty of prejudice, but one who refuses to hire a Mexican, is guilty of discrimination. Not all prejudices result in discrimination. Some are positive. But whether positive or negative, prejudices have a similar effect in that they reduce the individuals into categories or stereotypes				Read Joseph H. Suina story on the effects stereotyping had on his behavior in the Marines In 1993, The Los Angeles Times printed an interview with a group of teenagers on their use of stereotyping. High-school freshmen told the reporter, "I don't mean to stereotype but sometimes I judge people by first impressions. Once, I stereotyped a white girl because I thought she was acting black to make friends. Once I got to know her, I learned she was a sweet person and that she had acted the way she did because she had grown up around blacks. That changed my mind." v How is stereotyping like a first impression? v How is it different? v How do stereotypes affect your relationships at school? v At home? v On the street? Religious Stereotyping Like race our religion is part of our identity. The word religion comes from the Latin word that means " to tie or bind together." Modern dictionaries define religion as " an organized system of beliefs and rituals centered on a supernatural being or beings." Those "beliefs" and "rituals" unite followers into a community of believers who share not only a faith but also a worldview. Some come to regard those who choose to follow an unfamiliar religion as suspicious, different and dangerous Chana Schoenberg, along with a number of other high-school students across the nation, participated in the National Science Foundation Young Scholars program. Here is her experience with religious stereotyping
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