Deck 11: The Architecture of Inequality: Race and Ethnicity

Question 1

What is "racial transparency"?

A)the belief that a certain trait,behavior,or attitude characterizes all members of a group
B)racism expressed subtly through feelings of discomfort,which result in avoidance
C)the belief that humans are subdivided into distinct groups that can be ranked as superior or inferior
D)the tendency for the race of a society's majority to be normative and unremarkable

Answer 1

D

Question 2

According to the textbook,what is the definition of a stereotype?

A)the belief that a certain trait,behavior,or attitude characterizes all members of a group
B)rigidly held,unfavorable attitudes about members of a different group
C)the belief that humans are subdivided into distinct groups that can be ranked as superior or inferior
D)unfair treatment of people based on some social characteristic,such as race,ethnicity,or sex

Answer 2

A

Question 3

According to the textbook,what is the definition of racism?

A)the belief that a certain trait,behavior,or attitude characterizes all members of a group
B)the belief that humans have both RNA and DNA
C)the belief that humans are subdivided into distinct groups that can be ranked as superior or inferior
D)the tendency for the race of a society's majority to be normative and unremarkable

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Discrimination is defined as

A)unfair treatment of people based on some social characteristic,such as race,ethnicity,or sex.
B)the physical and emotional abuse of those who appear different than oneself.
C)illegally defending the rights of a majority population.
D)the belief that a certain trait,behavior,or attitude characterizes all members of a group.

Question 5

Classifying a person as "black" if they have one black great-grandparent is an example of

A)the one-drop rule.
B)discrimination.
C)quiet discrimination.
D)racial transparency.

Question 6

Jerry is a working-class black man with good credit.He needs to take out a loan to pay for some improvements to his house.Several banks denied his request for a loan because the neighborhood he lives in is considered risky for real-estate investments.Jerry is the victim of

A)overt discrimination.
B)personal discrimination.
C)quiet discrimination.
D)institutional racism.

Question 7

In countries such as Brazil,one's racial category is defined by

A)skin color.
B)economic standing.
C)facial features.
D)place of birth.

Question 8

When an individual expresses racist attitudes,we refer to this as

A)institutional racism.
B)quiet discrimination.
C)personal racism.
D)stereotyping.

Question 9

_____ refers to the shared culture,history,language,behavior,and beliefs that provide members of a group with a sense of common identity.

A)Race
B)Traits
C)Ethnicity
D)Values

Question 10

In what year were all Native Americans born in the United States considered U.S.citizens?

A)1776
B)1884
C)1940
D)1962

Question 11

In the United States,which group has what sociologists refer to as "racial transparency"?

A)African Americans
B)whites
C)Asian Americans
D)Native American Indians

Question 12

The contemporary understanding of stereotypes is that they

A)are irrational beliefs held by individuals.
B)are categories that our brains use to understand the world.
C)must be condemned by society to overcome racism.
D)always lead to discrimination.

Question 13

Which racial category was NOT included on the 2010 census form?

A)black
B)Asian Indian
C)Alaska Native
D)Hispanic

Question 14

According to the "myth of the model minority," the story of Asian American success has been so widely celebrated because it

A)draws attention to unique Asian values that differ from American ones.
B)brings about a sense of jealousy among non-Asians.
C)engenders nervousness among groups that are not as successful.
D)provides evidence that in the United States,all who play by the rules and work hard can achieve success.

Question 15

What is "quiet discrimination"?

A)the belief that a certain trait,behavior,or attitude characterizes all members of a group
B)racism expressed subtly through feelings of discomfort,which result in avoidance
C)the belief that humans are subdivided into distinct groups that can be ranked as superior or inferior
D)the tendency for the race of a society's majority to be normative and unremarkable

Question 16

Most sociologists view race as meaningful in the sense that it is a _____ category.

A)innate
B)social
C)biological
D)economic

Question 17

The tendency to assign racially mixed people the status of the subordinate group is referred to as the _____ rule.

A)hypodescent
B)racism
C)supremacy
D)colorism

Question 18

Compared to other ethnoracial groups in the United States,the experience of African Americans is unique for which reason?

A)their genetic differences
B)the institution of slavery
C)They are the only group included in affirmative action laws.
D)They have lobbied for "stand your ground" laws.

Question 19

In the United States,which ethnoracial group has the lowest life expectancy,the highest rate of infant mortality,and the highest rates of death from treatable illnesses?

A)Native Americans
B)Asian Americans
C)Latinas
D)African Americans

Question 20

Sociology points out that individuals in a particular racial group are tied together by their shared

A)physical characteristics.
B)mitochondrial DNA.
C)history of discrimination.
D)experience of identifying as,and being identified by others as,members of a group.

Question 21

Majority social acceptance of African American,Asian,Hispanic,and other ethnoracial groups has not proceeded at the same pace as it has for many European immigrant groups-such as the Germans,Irish,and Poles who arrived in the late 1800s and early 1900s.What is one explanation for this?

A)European immigrant groups had the same skin color as the majority group.
B)European immigrant groups were more willing to assimilate to American customs.
C)European immigrant groups maintained their own ethnic enclaves.
D)In the early 20th century,southern European immigrants were considered a "model minority."

Question 22

What is one reason standardized tests are considered "culture bound" and so racially biased?

A)They emphasize the experiences of white,middle-class children.
B)They are developed by companies known for belief in eugenics.
C)They measure academic,not emotional intelligence.
D)They measure innate,not learned intelligence.

Question 23

Which Latino ethnic group is most financially successful in the United States today?

A)Mexicans
B)Puerto Ricans
C)Guatemalans
D)Cubans

Question 24

After analyzing a random sample of television news shows that aired in Los Angeles and Orange counties in California,researchers came to this conclusion:

A)Asian Americans smile more than whites when they are on camera.
B)Latinos smile more than whites when they are on camera.
C)Blacks and Latinos are more likely than whites to be portrayed as victims of crime.
D)Whites are more likely than blacks and Latinos to be portrayed as victims of crime.

Question 25

Jim Crow laws were a form of _____ that established rigid lines between African Americans and whites,mandating unequal access to such services as public transportation,public schools,and drinking fountains.

A)colorism
B)discrimination
C)stereotypes
D)affirmative action

Question 26

Joe Feagin and Karyn McKinney found that middle-class,college-educated blacks felt work stress for all of the following reasons EXCEPT

A)being called derogatory names at work.
B)unfair promotion practices.
C)demanding job tasks.
D)mistrust of colleagues.

Question 27

In the United States,which group experiences racial transparency?

A)African Americans
B)Mexican Americans
C)Asian Americans
D)whites

Question 28

Between 1991 and 2011,the proportion of Latino/a and black students who attended schools where most of the students were minorities

A)increased.
B)remained the same.
C)decreased.
D)declined.

Question 29

Affirmative action is a __________ solution to institutional racism.

A)personal
B)bilateral
C)individualized
D)structural

Question 30

What is one sociological explanation for why African Americans are overrepresented in many professional sports?

A)African Americans have genetic advantages over whites.
B)African American males are discouraged from improving their athletic abilities and told to focus on education.
C)African American athletes are less likely to graduate from college than white athletes.
D)Social conditions channel a disproportionate number of athletically talented African Americans into sports.

Question 31

Which controversial book argued that racial and ethnic differences in intelligence were due to heredity?

A)The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life
B)Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
C)A Child Called It
D)There Are No Children Here

Question 32

In the United States,the majority of public school teachers are

A)white.
B)panethnic.
C)black.
D)Hispanic.

Question 33

Research shows that,on average

A)dark-skinned African Americans are paid more than light-skinned African Americans.
B)light-skinned African Americans are paid more than dark-skinned African Americans.
C)light-skinned whites are paid more than dark-skinned whites.
D)skin color is not related to income.

Question 34

Yellow peril was a term used in the late 19th century that referred to the fear that white Americans would lose jobs to _____workers.

A)African Americans
B)Latino/a
C)Chinese
D)Native American

Question 35

All of the following are true about institutional racism EXCEPT that it

A)is built into social arrangements.
B)consists of established laws,customs,and practices that produce racial inequality.
C)is difficult to change because there is often no identifiable "bad guy."
D)is relatively easy to eliminate.

Question 36

The Scott Act and the Geary Act were laws barring _____ immigrants from entering the country and stripping those already here of their legal rights.

A)Chinese
B)Irish
C)Cuban
D)Polish

Question 37

What is the definition of a panethnic label?

A)a derogatory term referring to an ethnic group
B)a broad term referring to a variety of subgroups presumed to have something in common
C)a nonoffensive term preferred by members of an ethnic group
D)a term used to refer to all human beings

Question 38

Taxi companies that claim they are protecting the safety of their drivers by designing a policy that refuses service to "dangerous" neighborhoods where the majority of residents are black may be engaging in _____ racism.

A)personal
B)transparent
C)residential
D)institutional

Question 39

Although stereotyping may be a natural way to efficiently categorize information,the content of stereotypes is

A)inherent.
B)genetically programmed.
C)learned.
D)universally accepted.

Question 40

In interviews with wealthy white men,Feagin and O'Brien (2003)found that some of their interviewees were very concerned about class and racial inequities and saw the need for substantial political and economic change.What separated these men from their counterparts who held more traditional and racist attitudes?

A)having long-term friendships and regular social contact with people of color or different ethnic groups
B)having the opportunity to observe the work ethic of ethnoracial minorities
C)having grown up with domestic workers (nannies,housekeepers)who were black or Latino
D)having travelled abroad

Question 41

One of the clearest ethical violations in the history of medical science has come to be known as

A)the Tuskegee syphilis study.
B)the Framingham heart study.
C)Tearoom sex.
D)the Framingham dialysis study.

Question 42

Asian American is a panethnic label.

Question 43

What was the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v.Board of Education of Topeka?

A)Before questioning suspects,police must inform them of their rights.
B)Racially segregated schools were unconstitutional because they were inherently unequal.
C)Prosecutors were prevented from using illegally obtained evidence in a criminal trial.
D)States have the power to regulate sexual relations between consenting adults.

Question 44

Colorism refers to opposition to affirmative action.

Question 45

Racism is primarily an American phenomenon.

Question 46

The greater the proportion of black residents in a community,the more likely it is that there will be

A)air pollution.
B)manufacturing jobs.
C)public recreational facilities.
D)24-hour supermarkets.

Question 47

Racial categories on the U.S.census are clearly defined natural,biological groupings.

Question 48

Sociologists believe that where there is diversity,there must be inequality.

Question 49

Research on race and education demonstrates that

A)U.S.public schools today are more integrated than they were 30 years ago.
B)U.S.public schools remain racially segregated.
C)Members of all racial groups are now equally likely to attend college.
D)Members of all racial groups are now equally likely to graduate from high school.

Question 50

Discomfort,fear,and avoidance are associated with which type of discrimination?

A)quiet
B)institutional
C)cultural
D)blanket

Question 51

Which government policy is based on the assumption that organizations will not change discriminatory practices unless they are forced to do so?

A)striving
B)affirmative action
C)desegregation
D)equal opportunity employment

Question 52

In university admissions,the term _________refers to children of alumni.

A)legacies
B)torps
C)shoe-ins
D)red shirt

Question 53

When individuals believe that their cultural integrity or economic prospects are under threat from members of another ethnic or racial group,they become more hostile and prejudiced and more willing to express these openly.

Question 54

The most effective way to eradicate institutional racism is to reduce individual prejudices.

Question 55

What is one reason whites are more likely than blacks to receive organ transplants?

A)Whites are in more automobile accidents and thus are more likely to need emergency organ transplants.
B)Many medical professionals are personally racist.
C)Patients are often "screened" for their ability to pay (whether through insurance or out-of-pocket)for a procedure.
D)Many of the national transplant waiting lists segregate black and white donors.

Question 56

The "brown bag test" that was used by some African American churches,social groups,and organizations to determine an individual's suitability for membership is an example of

A)interracism.
B)ethnoracism.
C)colorism.
D)ethnicism.

Question 57

Institutional racism is often more difficult to detect than personal racism.

Question 58

Affirmative action is a structural solution to institutional racism.

Question 59

Industrialization and modernization have resulted in a global reduction in ethnic hostilities.

Question 60

Choose two ethnic or racial minorities discussed in the chapter.Compare and contrast their experiences as U.S.citizens.

Question 61

Discuss arguments for and against affirmative action.What problems do affirmative action policies attempt to solve? What problems do these policies pose for race relations?

Question 62

How do sociologists define and view stereotypes?

Question 63

Racism and racial inequality are not limited to the United States.Give two examples of racism in other countries.How do these compare with racism in the United States?

Question 64

Explain how the "myth of innate inferiority" helps maintain a society in which some ethnic and racial groups are denied rights and privileges.

Question 65

Define quiet discrimination.In what ways is it different from other forms of discrimination? What are the dangers and possible consequences specific to it?

Question 66

What is the "strivers" approach to college admissions? Which type of racism is this approach attempting to address?

Question 67

Some sociologists believe that institutional racism in the educational system is the largest barrier to racial equality that exists in this country today.Do you agree with this assertion? Support your response with specific examples.

Question 68

Discuss the reasons many ethnoracial minorities are suspicious of the U.S.health care system.

Question 69

How does the conflict perspective explain the use of racially connotative language (e.g. ,black and white)? According to the conflict perspective,how does language help maintain racial and ethnic inequality?