Chapter 2 Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Racisim- Kiel

Chapter 2 “Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Racism” Reflection

Casey Kiel

Gwinnett County: ESOL Endorsement Program

29 September 2012

Review:

Does pretending they do not exist make prejudice, racism, and stereotyping disappear?  Noel argues that only by admitting our prejudices to ourselves, we can overcome thier negative effects on those around us and society at large (Noel, 44).  In this chapter she breaks down the differences and causes of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping.

It was interesting to learn why, psychologists believe, we form stereotypes. Noel explains that we are exposed to so much information that our brains simply cannot process it all, so we categorize and consolidate it.  Putting things, ideas, and at times people into categories allows us to quickly make judgements.  When it comes to people we may stereotype them based on something that happened to us or someone close (emotional interest), something that was told to us in great detail (concreteness), or an incident that occurred recently (temperal or special) (Noel, 46).

There are also several theories as to how we develop prejudice.  Prejudice is an emotional reaction to differences.  Racial and Cultural Difference Theory says that prejudice is born from fear or discomfort with something that is “different”.  Economic Competition Theory suggests that prejudice forms when groups are competeing for jobs or necessitites.  Tramatic experience theory says that prejudice can be brought on bu a physical attack.  Frustration Aggression Theory explains that some personalities are actually more prone to prejudice.  Social control theory holds that prejudices form when people conform to social traditions and prejudices (Noel, 52-56).

Racism is more than just bias based on the color of the skin.  According to Noel it can also be about the social and emotional construction of a group. There are different types of racism: aware/blatant, aware/covert, unaware/unintentional, and unaware/self-righteous. Those that are blantantly aware of their racism may be inclined to join hate groups.  This can be triggered by social upheaval (competition for jobs), idealism (ingrained beliefs), the need to belong, ambition, “power”, or just self hatetred.  Individual racisim can lead to institutional racism when the ingredient of power is added (Noel, 62-64).  Noel further offers two common reactions to racism.  In the face of it some reject their group, while others totally embrace their group and traditions.  Both can create a problem with understanding others (Noel, 67).

Caucasian’s go through different phases of awareness of identitiy.  At contact level they think of themselves as normal, not white, and have a curiosity or fear of other races.  At the disintegration phase they recognize the differences in their lives compared to those of other races.  They may begin to try to stop racist comments or withdraw from conversations.   When they are in the reintegration stage they tend to ignore racism or blame the people who are being targeted (Noel, 69). 

What does all this mean for schools?  Noel continues by discussing the achievement gap and that studies have found that low income schools are often lacking in teacher preparation, experience, technology instruction, school safty, and even instructional materials.  She further explains that when our own steriotypes or prejudices follow us in the classroom it can lower our expectations of students.  Studies have shown that when teachers expect more they treat students differently.  When students feel more is expected of them then they preform better (Noel, 71-72).  

Reflect:

            This chapter had a lot of information to digest, therefore I had to read it in pieces. I had to take a moment to pause and reflect after each section.  After reading the section on stereotype, I thought about my stereotypes and how they were formed. In the prejudice section I was reminded of a few encounters I have experienced in my lifetime.  The racism portion also stirred up some thoughts and feelings. 

            I think I, like most people according to Noel, categorize people as well as things in an effort to recall necessary information.  The problem here with people is that even within the catagories we set up in our own minds people will still differ.  Attributional Theory explains that we apply the characteristics of one to the whole group (Noel, 48).  More often than not our assumptions or stereotypes are untrue. 

            I had a rather uncomfortable moment of hermeneutical consciousness when I married and moved away from home.  We were in Chattanooga looking for a church home.  We found a congregation that shared our beliefs, had strong leadership, and offered great activities and classes.  However, I kept telling my husband I did not feel comfortable there.  I did not see anyone with whom I thought I could grow a friendship.  I was convenced that everyone there was stuck up after only one visit.  After some time, I realized that everyone there dressed in designer clothes and wore lots of make-up.  This is the way the popular girls in high school dressed as they snubbed myself and my not so fasionable friends.  I ended up making some great friends and enjoying our time there, as well as, learning something about myself.  This event came to mind when reading about how stereotypes and prejudice are formed.  At the time I did not recognize this as a sterotyping and perhaps prejudice.

            In the racisim section, I thought it was important that Noel pointed out that racism is about more than the color of one’s skin.  That also has to do with the social construction of race (Noel, 60 – 61).  Our perception of our own race often influences our perceptions of others.  People must guard against these perceptions, misconceptions, developing into stereotypes, prejudice, or racisim. 

Refine:

            There were parts of this text that were uncomfortable to me.  While I thought that Noel made it sound like all Caucasians were destined to be racist, I think she had some good points in the section on “Caucasian Awareness of Identitiy”.  I agree that sometimes we forget the privalages that accompany being born Caucasian.  Many of the people in power are white.  Often we are already participating in “societal norms”; we do not have to work as hard to “fit in”.  The section about the African American student in the honors English class illustrated this point well.  She had additional pressure that the white students did not.  She felt she had to prove herself not just for her namesake, but for her entire race (Noel, 74).  I want to be more aware of the feelings of my students and the additional pressures they may be experiencing due to being thrown into a culture that differs from their own.

 The section on self-fulfilling prophesy really hit home.  I have always tried to set high expectations for my students, but I now realize as the year rolls on my expectations tend to change.   They have to change based on the students needs to a degree, however, I fear I have been guilty of expecting the negative.  I would like to do a better job of maintaining high positive expectations for all of my students throughout the year.

“Many people react to discussions of stereotyping, prejudice, and racism by denying that they hold any stereotypes or have any prejudices” (Noel, 43).  Noel’s statement in the beginning is shocking, scary, and true all at the same time.  We cannot improve on anything, until we admit that change is needed.  Change is needed in us all.

               

 

References

Noel, J. (2008). Developing Multicultural Educators (2^nd Edition)