Deck 2: Understanding Prejudice and Its Causes

Question 1

What can be said about the relationship between rational thinking and prejudice?

A) The great rational minds of the world have had no prejudices.
B) It is possible to be rational and prejudiced at the same time.
C) Holding prejudices keeps rational thinkers for being able to achieve greatness.
D) It is not possible to be rational and prejudiced at the same time.

Answer 1

It is possible to be rational and prejudiced at the same time.

Question 2

What does it become when prejudice develops into hatred?

A) Bigotry
B) Discrimination
C) Denial rationalization
D) Elitism

Answer 2

Bigotry

Question 3

Which of the following has not been a factor in leading nations around the world to confront historic prejudices?

A) Economic globalization
B) Immigration
C) Laws limiting immigration
D) Population migration

Answer 3

Laws limiting immigration

Question 4

How do media encourage prejudice?

A) By realistically portraying minorities
B) By challenging stereotypical characteristics of minorities
C) By showing minorities in stereotypical ways
D) By reflecting the true attitudes of Americans

Question 5

Which of the following sentences does not contain an example of the black/white syndrome in the English language?

A) I was blacklisted from joining the club.
B) You are my white knight in shining armor!
C) He was only convicted of a white-collar crime.
D) I am planning to wear a little black dress to the party.

Question 6

Which of the following is not an example of how gender prejudice in our language promotes sexist attitudes?

A) "I will meet Dr. Johnson tomorrow and I hope he is friendly."
B) "When I grow up I want to be a firefighter."
C) "Janet may be blonde but she is pretty smart."
D) "You only scraped your knee. Man up and walk it off."

Question 7

When a negative attitude is acted upon it becomes

A) Prejudice.
B) Bias.
C) Discrimination.
D) Bigotry.

Question 8

Which of the following statements is an example of the misuse of the term prejudice?

A) "I am prejudiced against the Fighting Bears' football term. Their fans are always so nasty."
B) "Of course I am prejudiced. Teenagers are so lazy."
C) "I don't want to sound prejudiced but if we let that group home open in the neighborhood we will not be safe anymore."
D) "I am prejudiced for my football team. I always support them."

Question 9

Which of the following is not an example of how prejudices are rationalized?

A) Denial
B) Victim-blaming
C) Avoidance
D) Fact seeking

Question 10

Refusing to recognize that there are problems in society as a result of prejudice and discrimination is an example of

A) Victim-blaming rationalization
B) Denial rationalization
C) Avoidance rationalization
D) Scapegoat rationalization

Question 11

Which of the following statements is an example of denial rationalization?

A) "She would not have been raped if she had not worn such a skimpy outfit."
B) "Yes, women have had to struggle for equality but look how far they have come in the political arena."
C) "African-Americans cannot claim discrimination in hiring since affirmative action was instituted."
D) "She might be a popular cheerleader but I am smarter."

Question 12

Which is the best definition for victim-blaming rationalizations for prejudice?

A) It is the flaws and deficiencies of minorities that cause their problems, so society does not need to change.
B) Prejudice and discrimination do not cause problems in society.
C) The best people ascend to a place of superiority in society and represent a natural aristocracy.
D) One person gains at the expense of others and sharing power means a reduction of power.

Question 13

All of the following are examples of victim blaming rationalizations except which one?

A) If women don't want to be targets of crime, they need to take self-defense classes.
B) The poor should get jobs if they don't want to live in poverty.
C) He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
D) It is the natural order of things that a woman should stay at home and take care of the kids.

Question 14

How is an avoidance rationalization different from denial and victim-blaming rationalizations?

A) Avoidance rationalizations deny that societal problems stem from prejudice and discrimination.
B) Avoidance rationalizations address prejudice and discrimination as a problem for individuals rather than the entire society.
C) Avoidance rationalizations do not perpetuate prejudice and discrimination.
D) Avoidance rationalizations acknowledge societal problems stem from prejudice and discrimination.

Question 15

Which of the following arguments uses an avoidance rationalization to perpetuate prejudice?

A) If those women didn't have so many babies, they could come off welfare.
B) Instead of studying why we are so different in this diversity class, why don't we study how we are alike.
C) Now that an African-American president has been elected, there is no more racism in the United States.
D) Gay people should keep their sexual preferences to themselves if they don't want to be bothered.

Question 16

You are in a teacher's meeting when the principal expresses her frustration over so many African American male students being suspended. One of the teachers states, "I know it's a problem, but we have had fewer suspensions this year than we had at this time last year." What type of prejudice rationalization is this?

A) Denial rationalization
B) Victim blaming rationalization
C) Avoidance rationalization
D) Personal denial rationalizations

Question 17

Two boys were severely beaten at a high school football game. When the attackers were questioned by the police, they rationalized their attacks by saying, "Those two were fags and they deserved it." What type of prejudice rationalization is this?

A) Victim blaming
B) Denial rationalization
C) Avoidance rationalization
D) Scapegoating rationalization

Question 18

One of your neighbors on the cul-de-sac must move because their house was foreclosed on because both parents lost their jobs. At a good-bye get together one of the other neighbors whispers to you, "Well, they were never our type of people anyway. He can't keep a decent job, and the kids are dirty all the time. Can you believe what color they painted their living room? Good riddance!" What type of attitude is demonstrated in this conversation?

A) Zero-sum
B) Elitist
C) Denial rationalization
D) Interest theory

Question 19

The president of the PTA is always complaining about the amount of work she has to do but when you ask her why she doesn't delegate some of the work to others she replies, "I can't do that. The principal relies on me. And if I let one of those other mothers take over, next thing you know, they will be running the school and I won't have any say so in how things are run around here." What type of attitude is this?

A) Zero-sum
B) Elitist
C) Denial rationalization
D) Institutionalized discrimination

Question 20

Of the four primary causes of prejudice which one focuses on blaming others for your problems and finding a scapegoat?

A) Resorting to stereotypes
B) Threat to self esteem
C) Competition for status, wealth, and power
D) Frustration-aggression

Question 21

What do people tend to do when they are forced to deal with unfamiliar groups of people that reinforce prejudice?

A) Become frustrated and aggressive
B) Feel a threat to self esteem
C) Resort to stereotypes
D) Start competing for wealth, power and status

Question 22

Maria is a new girl at the high school who tries out for the cheerleading team. She is so good that she is made head of the squad. Maxie, the co-cheerleader who thought she was a shoo-in for head this year, starts spreading rumors about Maria and accuses her of sleeping with the quarterback of the team, whose mother happens to be the cheerleading squad advisor. Soon the rest of the class starts whispering about Maria behind her back and excluding her from activities in and out of the classroom. What cause of prejudice is Maxie illustrating?

A) Scapegoating
B) Uncertainty leading to stereotypes
C) Frustration leading to aggression
D) Threat to self-esteem

Question 23

How does competition in the classroom encourage prejudice?

A) The uncertainty of who the other group is builds up stereotyping.
B) Competition builds an "us versus them" mentality.
C) Losers in the classroom activity will lose their self-esteem.
D) Students who are frustrated become aggressive with others.

Question 24

Which of the following is not an example of racial profiling?

A) Stopping a car full of black teenagers while they are driving in an upper middle class neighborhood
B) A Middle Eastern looking man being pulled out of the line and being searched at the airport
C) Everyone having to present a driver's license or voter's registration card before voting.
D) Requiring people of presumed Hispanic descent to present their proof of citizenship when asked.

Question 25

Which of the following is a passive negative response to prejudice?

A) Verbal abuse towards others
B) Physical assaults
C) Genocide
D) Avoiding interactions with people who are not members of our own group

Question 26

Although studies have shown that prejudice has been reduced in recent years, there has not been a reduction in discrimination. Which of the following theories is not a given reason for continuing discrimination?

A) Prejudicial theory
B) Internal colonialism theory
C) Interest theory
D) Institutionalized discrimination theory

Question 27

How does the interest theory explain discrimination?

A) People discriminate in order to protect their own power and privilege.
B) Dominant groups exploit subordinate groups to control resources.
C) Institutional policies and practices have negative effects on subordinate groups.
D) Racial profiling keeps immigrants from being able to advance in their careers.

Question 28

The homeowner's association in Snowhill meets every third Tuesday at 10:00 am over brunch to discuss matters of the neighborhood. This group is mostly run by nonworking mothers who are available at this time of day. They decide that the neighborhood will once again participate in the annual Christmas parade, not taking into account the religious practices of newer members of the community. When some people complain, they are called unneighborly and accused of not supporting the children. What discrimination theory explains the perpetuation of prejudice towards those who chose not to participate in the parade?

A) Internal colonialism theory
B) Institutionalized discrimination theory
C) Interest theory
D) Zero-sum theory

Question 29

Which of the following is not a way to reduce prejudice?

A) Providing accurate information
B) Establishing equitable workplace policies and practices
C) Encouraging competition
D) Challenging negative attitudes

Question 30

Which of the following classroom activities can be used to reduce prejudice?

A) Writing and sharing stories about each other's families
B) Giving prizes to students for the best dressed and smartest
C) Ignoring students when they make prejudicial remarks
D) Having teacher's pets in the classroom

Question 31

Think about the television you watch and the commercials you have seen. What prejudices and stereotypes are reinforced? Why do the media continue to reinforce these prejudices and stereotypes?

Question 32

The old saying is "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" can give permission for children to call each other names. When you have listened to a group of children or teenagers on the playground or in the mall or even when you are with your group of friends, what types of sexist and derisive terms are used in the conversations? Although these are often seen as funny or "just picking" what messages do these words send?

Question 33

Prejudice is perpetuated through three types of rationalizations: denial, victim blaming, and avoidance. Explain what each rationalization is and give an example of each that occurs on a college campus.

Question 34

Two of the four major causes of prejudice involve (a) finding a scapegoat for one's problems and (b) having little knowledge of or experience with groups other than one's own. Explain how these two factors may cause prejudice.

Question 35

Explain the three theories of discrimination and give examples of each.