Race and Ethnicity - Prejudice

Race and Ethnicity SOCI 1306 Prejudice A person's attitudes, feelings, and ideas towards a group are referred to as prejudice. A bias is a prejudgment that originates outside of real experience rather than being based on personal experience. For example, anti-immigrant sentiment played a major role in the criminalization of marijuana; proponents of these laws used made-up, terrifying tales of "reefer madness" and widespread immoral and illegal activity among Spanish-speaking people to support new legislation and harsh penalties for marijuana users. Many of the proponents of marijuana criminalization had never met any of the recent immigrants who were rumoured to use the drug; as a result, their opinions were biassed rather than grounded in personal experience. A belief or opinion that is not based on firsthand, firsthand interactions with the people or groups in issue is called prejudice. Rather, it frequently results from preconceptions or preconceived beliefs that have been ingested over time from a variety of sources. For example, anti-immigrant sentiment had a major role in the United States' decision to make marijuana illegal. Sensationalist and untrue claims were used by some proponents of marijuana prohibition to incite panic and justify severe regulations in the early 20th century, when Mexican immigrants started to come in greater numbers. These stories frequently portrayed immigrants who spoke Spanish as morally and legally aberrant individuals who engaged in widespread unethical behaviour driven by marijuana usage. The notorious "reefer madness" campaign serves as an excellent illustration of how fear and false information were exploited to foster and legitimise prejudice. Many people took these tales as true even though there was no concrete proof to back them up because they matched preconceived notions and concerns about the growing immigrant population. This phenomena demonstrates how bias may spread through a variety of media and communication channels and have a strong foundation in cultural beliefs. Crucially, prejudice is founded on assumptions that come from outside of human experience; nonetheless, selective encounters and perceptions can strengthen these views—a phenomenon known as confirmation bias. For instance, if someone has been indoctrinated to believe that members of a particular ethnic group are bad people, then every bad deed done by one of those people may be interpreted as supporting the prejudice. Because of confirmation bias, even seemingly little social infractions—such as chatting too loudly on a bus or crossing the street outside of a crosswalk—can be seen as proof of the biassed opinion. Prejudiced individuals tend to overlook or minimise behaviours that go against their preconceptions while noticing and remembering unfavourable behaviours that confirm them. Prejudices endure and are reinforced over time as a result of this selective perception and recall. Prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination have a complicated and intricate relationship. Stereotypes are oversimplified generalisations about a group of individuals that frequently lead to prejudice. These stereotypes are damaging because they ignore personal differences and experiences, regardless of whether they are favourable or bad. Prejudiced attitudes and beliefs stem from these stereotypes when they are internalised. Discrimination is the unjust treatment of people based on their membership in a specific group, and it can be caused by these views. Discrimination may take many different forms, ranging from covert acts of violence and institutional policies that harm particular groups to overt acts of social exclusion. Prejudice is not a natural or instinctual response, even if it frequently stems from experiences outside of oneself. Instead, it is a taught behaviour that is absorbed through a variety of socialisation processes. As youngsters take in the attitudes and ideas of their parents, friends, and other significant characters in their life, prejudice is instilled in them from an early age. Prejudice is mostly shaped via indoctrination and direct instruction, as well as by more covert socialisation techniques. For instance, youngsters pick up on cultural standards and values through media consumption, observation of adult behaviour, and imitation. Films, novels, TV series, and other media frequently portray particular groups in stereotyped and prejudiced ways, feeding preconceived notions and fostering the development of new ones. Prejudices may also be developed and propagated by charismatic speakers and leaders. These people frequently possess the capacity to express and magnify preexisting worries and anxieties, lending credibility and explanation to biassed viewpoints. Their teachings, which provide easy fixes and scapegoats for difficult societal problems, can strike a chord with those who feel intimidated or excluded. Prejudice has the potential to permeate society profoundly in this way, feeding cycles of inequity and discrimination. The want to fit in and conform to social groupings is a major contributing element to the persistence of bias. To be accepted and approved of by their peers, people are frequently driven to adopt their attitudes and ideas. Even if someone does not originally possess biassed ideas, societal pressure might persuade them to do so. Recurring exposure to biassed attitudes and behaviours over time can normalise them, making it more challenging for people to identify and confront their own prejudices. Prejudice has an effect that goes much beyond personal beliefs and actions. It fuels structural inequities and inequality that have an impact on entire communities. Discriminatory behaviours may have disastrous consequences on marginalised groups, restricting their chances and prolonging cycles of poverty and disadvantage. These practices can occur in sectors such as work, education, housing, and the criminal justice system. It takes a thorough and ongoing effort to address and eradicate these systemic forms of prejudice at the individual and institutional levels. Raising awareness and educating people is a crucial first step in eliminating bias. People can start to question their own prejudices and get a more complex and compassionate understanding of other people by learning about the experiences and viewpoints of various groups. Intergroup communication and engagement can also be extremely important in lowering prejudice since face-to-face meetings with people from other groups can dispel misconceptions and foster constructive bonds. Furthermore, over time, varied and nuanced personalities shown in the media and in culture have the power to question and alter prevailing attitudes. In addition to addressing prejudice and discrimination, efforts must concentrate on institutional and structural transformation. This entails putting into effect laws and procedures that support inclusivity and equality as well as holding people and institutions responsible for acts of discrimination. In order to achieve these reforms and increase public understanding of the persistent effects of bias and discrimination, activity and advocacy are crucial. To sum up, prejudice is a complex and deeply rooted problem that has its roots outside of human experience but is exacerbated by socialisation and biassed views. It is a learned behaviour that is spread through a variety of means, such as social pressure, media portrayals, and direct teaching. Prejudice has an effect that goes much beyond an individual's views; it contributes to structural injustices and inequities that have an effect on entire communities. An all-encompassing strategy that incorporates intergroup contact, education, awareness-raising, and institutional change is needed to combat prejudice. We may endeavour to create a society that is more equitable and inclusive by tackling the underlying causes and expressions of bias.