Deck 10: Race and Ethnicity

Question 1

Sociologists refer to the process by which something or someone is perceived as having racial characteristics as .

A) racialization
B) racial formation
C) ethnogeneration
D) ethnicity identification

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of these statements regarding the racial system in Brazil is false?

A) In Brazil, a person is considered Black only if they have no discernible White ancestry.
B) A person who might be considered Black in the U.S. would be considered white in Brazil if they had high socioeconomic status.
C) Brazil has successfully created a nation in which there is no social inequality based on race.
D) The racial system in Brazil is different from that of the U.S.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What is the current practice of the U.S. Census for reporting one's race?

A) A person may select a single race as their identity.
B) A person may select what they consider their primary, and also their secondary, racial identity.
C) A person may select as many racial categories as they feel applies to them.
D) A person may select a single ethnicity.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In order for a group to be considered an ethnic group they must

A) look different than the members of other ethnic groups.
B) speak the same language as other members of the group.
C) share an identity they see as different from that of others in society.
D) have a shared system of norms and values.

Question 5

Which of the following does not apply to all minority groups?

A) Possessing characteristics generally considered different from the dominant group
B) Being smaller in number than the dominant group
C) Sharing a sense of group identity
D) Experiencing prejudice and discrimination in society

Question 6

What is the most important factor for determining the racial categories within any society?

A) The beliefs and interests of the most powerful group(s) in society
B) The amount of difference in ancestry or "blood" that different groups have
C) The degree to which members of different groups differ from each other biologically
D) The language that each group speaks

Question 7

Stereotypes are:

A) generally only applied to a dominant groups within any society.
B) oversimplified statements of belief about members of a particular group.
C) understood to apply only to a few members of any particular group.
D) generalizations about minorities groups by the dominant group.

Question 8

Which of the following statements about race is true?

A) Official recognition of race by the government matters.
B) Racial formation occurs in youth.
C) Biological characteristics are the major determinants of race.
D) Individuals may have a single race but multiple ethnicities.

Question 9

Racial groups are defined by:

A) religious beliefs.
B) the cultural and social norms within a society.
C) biological characteristics.
D) how the groups have been treated and labeled historically.

Question 10

Which of these statements regarding the variability of a group's ethnic identity is true?

A) A group's ethnic identity is constant; it does not change over time.
B) Ethnic identity may form or is strengthened when a group is excluded from participation by more powerful social groups.
C) Ethnic identity can only change when one changes their place of residence or marries someone of another ethnicity.
D) Ethnic identity is always imposed involuntarily.

Question 11

The historical process in any society by which a group comes to be defined as a race is called .

A) racial formation
B) immigration contact theory
C) the principle of physical salience
D) engendered racism

Question 12

The process of racial formation is supported by:

A) family members.
B) the government.
C) religious organizations.
D) social institutions.

Question 13

In the 1890 U.S. Census, which of the following was not a racial classification?

A) Chinese
B) Quadroon
C) Black
D) Hispanic

Question 14

Which of these statements regarding the judgments people make about others is false?

A) People make quick assessments and judgments about others in order to save time.
B) The judgments people make enable them to process a great deal of information very quickly.
C) Quickly categorizing the people one meets is a very common and widespread practice.
D) Most of the time the quick judgments that people make are remarkably comprehensive and accurate.

Question 15

Which of these is an illustration of the concept of out-group homogeneity?

A) Members of some minority groups are perceived as being very similar to the dominant group in society.
B) Members of a set of minority groups, such as Laotians, Chinese, Japanese, and Indonesians, are perceived as being similar enough to share a general category (Asian).
C) Members of all groups considered minority groups in a society are perceived as having the same biological backgrounds.
D) Members of some ethnic groups, such as Italian, German, and French, are considered similar enough to the dominant group so they are no longer considered minority groups.

Question 16

Which of these statements regarding race is true?

A) Race is a socially constructed category.
B) Racial categories in a society reflect differences in the biological makeup of individuals.
C) Race is assigned based on scientific investigation.
D) Racial categories are the same in countries throughout the world.

Question 17

A social category of people who share a common culture (i.e., language, national background, or religion) is referred to as a(n) group.

A) minority
B) dominant
C) racial
D) ethnic

Question 18

Which of the following is not a characteristic of a racial or ethnic minority group?

A) They possess characteristics considered different from those of the dominant group.
B) They suffer prejudice and discrimination within the society by the dominant group.
C) Group members share a sense of solidarity and identity.
D) Group members share common beliefs.

Question 19

How does the concept of race compare between Brazil and the U.S.?

A) In the U.S., a person with any amount of Black ancestry has historically been designated as Black; this has not been the case in Brazil.
B) In Brazil, a person with any amount of Black ancestry has historically been designated as Black; this has not been the case in the U.S.
C) In the U.S. and in Brazil, one's racial categorization is strongly influenced by one's social class status.
D) In Brazil, race is determined by religious standards.

Question 20

John has a mixed-race background. Which of the following is true of John with regard to his racial category?

A) He fits well into categories of race.
B) He is able to define his own social category of race.
C) He is someone who determines how he is categorized.
D) He defies biological categories typically used to define race.

Question 21

Which of these statements about economic inequality is true?

A) The gap between the income of Whites and the income of Blacks and Hispanics has remained much same over time .
B) The median income of Blacks and Hispanics has remained very flat since the 1950s.
C) Although still unequal, per capita income for Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics has been growing at the same rate since 1967.
D) There is little data on the relative incomes of Whites and members of minority groups.

Question 22

Research on socialization leading to prejudiced attitudes indicates that

A) children tend to be free of prejudice until around the ages of 9 or 10 years old.
B) there is a close correlation between the racial and ethnic attitudes of parents and those of their children.
C) children and young adults who believe they can think for themselves are able to avoid taking on their parents racial or other prejudices.
D) most people today are unaffected by parental prejudices since the media has become so important.

Question 23

The stereotype of people being "snooty, aloof, condescending, and phony," are most likely attributed to which social class?

A) Middle-class
B) Lower-class
C) Upper-class
D) Upper-middle class

Question 24

How do strongly prejudiced people end up that way?

A) Some people seem to naturally have negative feelings about others who are not like them.
B) Children are rarely prejudiced until they enter school and are influenced into prejudice by their peers.
C) Socialization leading to prejudiced attitudes occurs in the family, as well as through the media and peers.
D) Deviant individuals are more likely to be prejudiced than conforming individuals.

Question 25

Prejudice is:

A) always positive.
B) usually negative.
C) neither positive nor negative.
D) equally positive and negative.

Question 26

The principle states that people categorize others on the basis of what appears initially prominent and obvious about them.

A) stereotypic
B) salience
C) prejudice
D) perception

Question 27

Jokes that use humor to stereotype a group as stupid or inept are often repeated substituting different ethnic groups. This is an example of the concept of .

A) cultural relativism
B) stereotype interchangeability
C) selective identity
D) universal applicability

Question 28

A traditional stereotype of African Americans is that they are inherently lazy. This stereotype has also been applied to Hispanics, Polish, and Irish groups. This is an example of .

A) cultural relativism
B) stereotype interchangeability
C) ethnic inferiority
D) retrospective determinism

Question 29

When it comes to gender stereotypes

A) men are generally stereotyped more negatively than women.
B) the same stereotypes are most often applied to both men and women.
C) stereotypes about women are more negative than those about men.
D) men are not subject to stereotyping.

Question 30

While prejudice is an attitude, discrimination is .

A) internal
B) overt behavior
C) hidden
D) a belief

Question 31

Research on discrimination in housing has found that

A) discrimination in housing is less important than other forms of discrimination.
B) when two people of different races apply for the same housing both are equally likely to be accepted or turned down.
C) members of minority groups are frequently turned down for housing in situations in which a White person is not.
D) reverse discrimination, or discrimination toward a White person is equally as common as discrimination against minority group members.

Question 32

A teacher assumed Ryan is like all Lebanese people. He is experiencing _.

A) in-group homogeneity effect
B) racial formation
C) ethnicization
D) out-group homogeneity effect

Question 33

Measurements of economic inequality indicate that

A) the income gap between Blacks and Whites has closed in recent years.
B) net worth among all groups is now relatively equal.
C) the poverty rate is higher for Blacks and Hispanics than it is for Whites and Asians.
D) poverty among members of racial minority groups has been increasing since the 1960s.

Question 34

As a result of gerrymandering, remains a problem in the U.S.

A) economic inequality
B) residential segregation
C) racism
D) the digital racial divide

Question 35

Which of the following statement is true about salient characteristics?

A) Salient characteristics are not culturally specific.
B) Salient characteristics change over time.
C) Salient characteristics differ in various countries.
D) Salient characteristics are constant over time.

Question 36

The principle of holds that stereotypes, especially negative ones, are often applied similarly from one group to another.

A) cultural relativism
B) stereotype interchangeability
C) selective identity
D) universal applicability

Question 37

A prejudiced person is likely to have:

A) positive attitudes toward members of both in-group and out-group.
B) positive attitudes toward members of an in-group and negative attitudes toward members of an out- group.
C) negative attitudes toward members of an in-group and positive attitudes toward members of an out- group.
D) negative attitudes toward members of an in-group and out- group.

Question 38

Re-drawing the boundaries of school districts and election districts in order to maintain racial segregation is called .

A) gerrymandering
B) redlining
C) outsourcing
D) outlining

Question 39

Which of the following is not a salient characteristic specified by the text?

A) Hair texture
B) Tone of voice
C) Skin color
D) Nose shape

Question 40

is the evaluation of a social group based on misconceptions about the group.

A) Racism
B) Prejudice
C) Discrimination
D) Bias

Question 41

Consistently avoiding contact with people of different races than one's own would be considered an example of _____.

A) old-fashioned racism
B) aversive racism
C) neo-racism
D) traditional racism

Question 42

Blaming Blacks for economic inequality and resistance to policies that might alleviate racial oppression is considered .

A) traditional racism
B) aversive racism
C) color-blind racism
D) symbolic or laissez-faire racism

Question 43

According to a fairly old psychological theory of prejudice and racism, the tendency to rigidly categorize other people, to rigidly conform, and be intolerant of ambiguity is part of a(n) .

A) authoritarian personality
B) repressed personality
C) subordinate personality
D) stereotypic personality

Question 44

The perspective that argues that minority groups' life chances result from the opportunities formed by the interactions of class, race, and gender is called _.

A) functionalist perspective
B) the intersection perspective
C) social interaction perspective
D) social exchange perspective

Question 45

In the debate as to whether class or race is more important as the source of inequality, sociologist William Julius Wilson argues that:

A) the disadvantaged status of minority groups is more a matter of race than class.
B) ignoring skin color and cultural differences is the only way to solve the country's problems of racism.
C) changes in the economic structure are more important than race in shaping the life chances of different groups.
D) the social construction of race is a myth.

Question 46

The situation for women in society should be studied separately within each social class because differences between men and women are not the same in every racial or class group. This is an argument of the perspective.

A) intersection
B) functionalist
C) symbolic interactionist
D) social exchange

Question 47

The process by which a minority becomes socially, economically, and culturally absorbed within the dominant society is called .

A) cultural relativism
B) assimilation
C) amalgamation
D) cultural affiliation

Question 48

Racial profiling is an example of _.

A) color-blind racism
B) institutional racism
C) aversive racism
D) Jim Crow racism

Question 49

Sociologists find that racism

A) is the perception and treatment of members of a racial group as inferior.
B) is limited to individual behavior.
C) involves actions, not attitudes.
D) has practically disappeared in the U.S. since Barack Obama was elected as the president.

Question 50

Which theory argues that race and ethnicity are socially constructed categories?

A) Functionalist theory
B) Social conflict theory
C) Symbolic interaction theory
D) Social exchange theory

Question 51

Contact theory argues that interaction between Whites and minorities will reduce prejudice on part of both groups if all of the following conditions are met, except:

A) the parties interact on equal ground.
B) the contact is sustained.
C) social norms favoring equality are agreed upon by the participants.
D) all parties agree to work to reduce the prejudice.

Question 52

According to the text, there are different forms of racism. Overt, obvious racism, such as physical violence or the use of racial slurs is termed .

A) aversive racism
B) old-fashioned racism
C) covert racism
D) neo-racism

Question 53

Holding the belief that one does not notice racial differences, and that discussing race only perpetuates racism, would be considered .

A) old-fashioned racism
B) traditional racism
C) color-blind racism
D) institutional racism

Question 54

The assimilation perspective argues that in order to be full members of society members of minority groups must adopt as many aspects of the dominant culture as possible. This perspective pertains to which type of sociological theory?

A) Conflict theory
B) Functionalist theory
C) Symbolic interaction theory
D) Authoritarian personality theory

Question 55

If an administrator engages in institutional racism he or she is able to apply which of the following?

A) Party
B) Class
C) Power
D) Prestige

Question 56

Which of the following is the best example of institutional racism?

A) Airport security procedures that specify people who appear to be Middle Eastern should be scrutinized more closely than others
B) A waiter refusing to serve a Black man who sits in his section
C) Dr. Jones, a professor, claiming she doesn't even notice the color of her students' skin
D) A landlord who will never rent to anyone who has dark skin

Question 57

Contact theory argues that under certain conditions interactions between Whites and members of minority groups will reduce prejudice within both groups. This theory is a type of theory.

A) functionalist
B) conflict
C) symbolic interaction
D) social exchange

Question 58

is the psychological theory that argues that members of the dominant group vent their frustrations and aggressions toward minority groups instead of the real source of their frustration.

A) Contact theory
B) Scapegoat theory
C) Pluralist frustration theory
D) Functionalist theory

Question 59

The view that race intersects with class to shape one's experience in the social structure is a perspective related to _____.

A) functionalism
B) conflict theory
C) symbolic interaction theory
D) social exchange theory

Question 60

Which of the following is not an element of laissez-faire racism?

A) Subtle and persistent negative stereotyping
B) A tendency to blame blacks for the gap in economic standing
C) Resistance to policy efforts to alleviate racially oppressive practices
D) An inability to understand non-racist viewpoints

Question 61

believe that social change results from organized social movements and other forms of resistance to oppression.

A) Functionalists
B) Conflict theorists
C) Symbolic interactionists
D) Social exchange theorists

Question 62

Which of these statements regarding the slavery system and the position of African Americans in the U.S. is true?

A) Enslaved Africans passively accepted their positions as slaves.
B) The Emancipation Proclamation marked the end of the economic exploitation of enslaved Blacks in southern agriculture.
C) The northern migration of Blacks from the South to the North in the U.S. only served to worsen conditions due to the creation of urban ghettos.
D) Remnants of the slavery caste system remain in the U.S. today.

Question 63

According to , social change is a slow and gradual process.

A) functionalism
B) conflict theory
C) symbolic interaction theory
D) social exchange theory

Question 64

The Jones Act of 1917

A) banned further immigration from Puerto Rico.
B) extended U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans.
C) closed the border with Mexico.
D) permitted Cubans to enter following the Cuban Revolution.

Question 65

The 125,000 Cubans who entered the U.S. in 1980 during the "Mariel boat lift," were largely _.

A) professionals
B) skilled workers
C) persons considered "undesirable"
D) middle class and college educated

Question 66

Operation Bootstrap was launched after WWII to attract U.S. corporations to Puerto Rico. What was the overall outcome of Operation Bootstrap?

A) Rapid overall growth in the Puerto Rican economy
B) Reduced unemployment in Puerto Rico
C) Significantly higher wages for workers
D) Decreased wages for both Puerto Ricans and U.S. workers

Question 67

When unemployment became very severe in Puerto Rico during the early to mid-1970s, the U.S. government responded by

A) encouraging Puerto Ricans to migrate to the U.S. to find work.
B) attempting to reduce the Puerto Rican population to the extent of promoting sterilization of women.
C) providing more opportunities for millions of Puerto Ricans to obtain a college degree.
D) banning further immigration from Puerto Rico.

Question 68

The largest concentration of Koreans in the U.S. today is located in

A) San Francisco.
B) Los Angeles.
C) Washington, D.C.
D) New York.

Question 69

At the time of their "discovery," Native Americans had:

A) a common language.
B) heterogeneous cultures.
C) suffered devastating diseases.
D) shared values.

Question 70

The 1913 Alien Land Law of California limited ownership and prohibited land from being inherited. This law was aimed at preventing from establishing themselves in the U.S.

A) Mexican
B) Japanese
C) Chinese
D) Irish

Question 71

Which of these statements regarding the position of Native Americans in this country is false?

A) Native American populations were devastated by European diseases from which they had no immunity
B) Only about one-fourth of Native Americans live on or near reservations today.
C) Historical accounts have underrepresented the vast cultural and social heterogeneity of tribes prior to European conquest.
D) Today Native Americans have the highest poverty rate of any group in the U.S.

Question 72

Central to the operation of slavery was the belief that:

A) people can change castes.
B) human beings could be property.
C) domination of slavery did not involve the relationship between men and women.
D) individuals are less efficient than a whole society.

Question 73

created a class system within the Chicano community.

A) Capitalism
B) A few wealthy ranchers
C) Slavery
D) A social structure of exclusion

Question 74

The most recent Asian Americans to migrate to the U.S. have come from .

A) China
B) Japan
C) the Philippines
D) Laos and Cambodia

Question 75

A problem with the terms "Latino" and "Latina" is that they

A) only refer to Mexican Americans and are not inclusive.
B) refer only to Latin Americans in the U.S. for several generations.
C) do not reflect the diversity of groups who are included in the category.
D) are not used by sociologists.

Question 76

The original entry of Mexican Americans into the U.S. was the result of

A) military conquest.
B) treaty terms negotiated at the end of the Spanish American War.
C) flight from a repressive political regime.
D) illegal migrations across the border into California and Texas.

Question 77

Which of the following is not considered a Latino group?

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

Question 78

Which of these statements is true about the status of Puerto Rico relative to the U.S.?

A) Puerto Rico is a state in the United States of America.
B) Puerto Rico is a colony of the U.S.
C) Puerto Rico is a commonwealth with its own constitution.
D) Puerto Rico has no formal relationship with the U.S.

Question 79

Understanding race and ethnicity as social constructions is a significant contribution of .

A) functionalism
B) conflict theory
C) symbolic interaction theory
D) social exchange theory

Question 80

Chinese immigrants began migrating to the U.S. in the mid-19^th century because:

A) they desired the "American Dream."
B) the Chinese government pushed them out.
C) they were seeking religious freedom.
D) the U.S. needed workers.