Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Prejudice is not always overt. Many people don’t even realize that they are discriminating based on race and gender. For instance, the US is a nation that inspires its people not to judge based on gender but instead on their character. Most people claim to be unprejudiced; however, studies have shown that many people harbor some level of internalized bias. According to psychologist Gordon Allport, stereotypes and prejudices develop as a result of rational human thinking (Cushman, 2012). The brain deciphers information in its environment by sorting it into mental categories. Such categories place people, ideas, and objects in different groups to make the world more comprehensible; this process allows people to interact and react quickly but also creates mistakes (Cushman, 2012). Prejudice is just one example of a mental error that arises from people’s tendency to categorize information and make quick judgments.
References
Cushman, M. (2020). Lib.dr.iastate.edu. Retrieved 20 July 2020, from https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3815&context=etd.
Question 2
Yes, I believe that some degree of prejudice and discrimination is inevitable in society. Despite people’s best efforts, racism is a biological inevitability that will forever resurface (Mendoza-Denton & Perez, 2020). Implicit bias occurs unconsciously and exposes itself from our explicit behaviors, like reflexively clutching your handbag when an African American man approaches or judging that young man’s resume. This reality is particularly threatening to people who consider themselves egalitarian. They may harbor some level implicit bias, which they suppress by portraying an egalitarian behavior for the sake of appearances. Such repressed attitudes arising from subconscious associations will perpetually leak out through microaggressions, and so racism will continuously resurface.
References
Mendoza-Denton, R., & Perez, A. (2020). Racism and the Narrative of Biological Inevitability – Othering and Belonging. Othering and Belonging. Retrieved 20 July 2020, from http://www.otheringandbelonging.org/racism-and-the-narrative-of-biological-inevitability/.
Question 3
I would encourage both teachers and students to cultivate awareness of their biases. Pretending to be color blind does not help; it instead increases implicit bias. Embracing the fact that we are all different and, therefore, susceptible to prejudices helps create a safer space to examine such biases and take measures to fight them.
References
SUTTIE, J. (2020). Four Ways Teachers Can Reduce Implicit Bias. Greater Good. Retrieved 20 July 2020, from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/four_ways_teachers_can_reduce_implicit_bias.