What are some of the ways groups of people are identified? There are several ways both good and bad that groups can be identified by such as race, culture, religion, class and ethnicity. These are the presets of which society is divided whether they like to admit or
Race is an influential idea and a continuing concept, made-up by society. It has also fostered inequality and discrimination for centuries, as well as influencing how we relate to other human beings. A “stereotype” is an oversimplification about a person or a group of people. We utilize stereotypes when we are incapable or reluctant to attain all of the information we would need to make impartial judgments about people or situations. In the absence of detail, stereotyping in many situations allow us to arrive at a general conclusion of these groups.
The characteristic can be the way a person dresses, their gender, race, social standing, etc. Some stereotypes are positive, but most are negative. A. Why do we stereotype? Stereotyping is something that comes naturally to the human mind.
Collective identity is the identity shared by a social group this combines social and individual factors of identity for example combining the way we chose to look and the image that we have no choice over. Multiple identities is when people have multiple identities and may perceive themselves differently when they are around different social groups for example acting differently around your peers than you would around your parents. Lastly spoiled/stigmatised identity is when someone has a social stigma for example a disability therefore they may be seen as having an undesirable identity. In this essay I will consider how identity is formed. Importantly how much choice and free will do we really have over our identity and the formation of it?
Examine the role of access to opportunity structures in causing crime and deviance. The access to opportunity structure in a society is the distribution of people’s access to occupations, education and other ways of supporting their lives and achieving goals. There are many different factors that have to be considered when examining the role of access to opportunity structures in causing crime and deviance. Merton’s (1998) ‘Strain theory and anomie’ argues that deviance arises from the structure of society and that unequal access to legitimate opportunity structures is the cause of deviant behaviour. The main point that Merton’s theory outlines is the fact that people engage in deviant behaviour because they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means, and when most people share similar goals for example financial success in an unequal society not all individuals have the opportunity to achieve those goals through approved means, therefore they feel different, as the dominant rules on how to achieve success don’t meet their needs, and as a result deviance occurs.
The Concept of Social Bias Selina King PSYCH/555 Social Psychology February 6, 2012 Diana Dobier The Concept of Social Bias Social bias is an individual’s prejudice attitude towards people of a specific group, based on a person’s race, gender and even religious affiliation. This paper will explore the concepts of stereotyping a person, prejudice and discriminatory behavior. There are subtle and blatant biases which the differences between the two will be explained. Social bias towards another person can have a strong impact on their lives which will be described in this paper Define Concepts of Prejudice, Stereotyping and Discrimination There are some individuals who believe bias behaviors no longer exist in today’s society, it’s no longer a problem, while others strongly believe social bias towards a specific group or person is a current problem that can be dangerous. Some individuals choose not to discuss bias behaviors for fear their opinion on the matter will be taken out of context or they may have to listen to the same dialogue over and over again.
How do selected sociological ideas help to explain social inequality? Since the beginning of time individuals have labelled and categorised one another spawning prejudices and social divisions. The social stigma associated with ‘lesser’ communities has robbed many of its individuals of the freedom, rights and opportunities that others experience. Gender, ethnicity, education and religion are only a fraction of a multitude of factors that have fuelled this social inequity. It is important, however, to note that social equity is not about achieving equal ways of living but about ensuring that people have equal opportunities.
Identity is essentially a set a characteristics and traits that are attributed to one specific person. Identities are specific and unique for each person. Because identity is different from one person to the next, there is the chance that the society a person exists in will not be fully accepting. Latterell states “the social and cultural forces that help shape our sense of identity are not neutral. Instead, they operate like a powerful lens through which we make judgments about ourselves and others” (10).
The Dimension of Racism covers Prejudice, Ideology/Culture, and Discrimination. Because Prejudice stems from Racism, Prejudice is the first one in the Dimension of Racism. Prejudices are attitudes feelings, is how you feel how you think and also how you judge a person. Ideology and Culture, is the belief that some races are biologically, intellectually, or culturally inferior to others. Discrimination can occur both individually (Interpersonal) and institutionally.
I also think that the sub-culture of the Mole people takes even longer to evolve than the culture above the streets, thus making it hard for a small change in the culture above ground to influence that of the mole people. The difference that I see between “us” and “them” is that I believe that the mole people are more devoted to living a life with a community. Toth states in her book, “Their community provides them with a sense of physical and psychological security and in their eyes also sets them apart, and above, the mass of homeless wandering the streets aboveground.” Compared to people living above the ground, the Mole people are open to and embrace the idea of living together