Chapter 2 – Prejudice
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The tendency to assume that one’s culture and way of life are superior to all others is known as:
a. cultural relativism
b. discrimination
c. exploitation
d. ethnocentrism
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 43
2. An ethnocentric person is one who:
a. believes that each culture is equally valid
b. believes that prejudice is wrong
c. views other cultures as superior
d. judges other groups and cultures by the standards of his or her own group
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 43
3. All of the following are true about White privilege except:
a. this advantage exists unconsciously
b. this advantage is very visible to the White people who enjoy it
c. it refers to immunities granted on the basis of being White
d. it refers to rights granted on the basis of being White
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 49-50
4. When asked about their whiteness, most white people are likely to:
a. talk about their ethnic identity
b. see themselves as victims of reverse discrimination
c. see themselves as having advantages over other racial groups
d. see themselves as disadvantaged
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 50
5. Prejudice is:
a. a negative attitude, not behavior
b. aimed at individuals, not groups
c. a negative behavior, not attitude
d. based on accurate definitions
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 44
6. A negative attitude toward an entire category of people is known as:
a. prejudice
b. discrimination
c. exploitation
d. authoritarianism
ANS: a
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Page Ref.: 44
7. Which of the following is an ethnophaulism?
a. The employer refused to consider the application from a qualified Norwegian American.
b. The job applicant thought he was refused the position because he was not Black.
c. The principle told Jose that he does well in school for a Mexican American.
d. all of these
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 44
8. Prejudice leads to:
a. categorical rejection
b. an attitude that coincides with behavior
c. discrimination
d. rejection of individuals based on their behavior
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 44
9. The process of denying certain opportunities and equal rights or privileges to individuals and groups
is known as:
a. prejudice
b. assimilation
c. discrimination
d. ethnocentrism
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 44
10. The president of a bank refuses to hire the most qualified candidate for a key management position
because he is Jewish. This is an example of:
a. discrimination
b. prejudice
c. the contact hypothesis
d. the self-fulfilling prophecy
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 44-45
11. The sociologist who developed the typology distinguishing prejudice and discrimination was:
a. William Julius Wilson
b. Max Weber
c. Thomas Pettigrew
d. Robert Merton
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 45-46
12. Reluctant liberals are those who:
a. discriminate in an overt fashion
b. discriminate if there is social pressure to do so
c. harbor prejudice but do not express it
d. can express prejudice only in a group
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 46
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13. The best way to influence reluctant liberals towards less discriminatory behavior is:
a. through equal opportunity legislation
b. to invite them to a diversity workshop
c. through a public relations campaign
d. to impose a discrimination tax
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 46
14. The owner of a car dealership refuses to hire a female applicant not because he feels women are
incompetent but because he fears that customers will be less likely to buy a car from a woman.
According to Merton, the owner is being a(an):
a. authoritarian
b. timid bigot
c. all-weather bigot
d. reluctant liberal
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 46
15. A person who harbors prejudice but will not discriminate if it costs money or reduces profits is called:
a. an all-weather liberal
b. a timid bigot
c. an all-weather bigot
d. a reluctant liberal
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 46
16. LaPiere’s study in the early 1930s involving travel with a Chinese couple to places of business
indicated that most people who participated in the follow-up questionnaire were:
a. all weather liberals
b. reluctant liberals
c. all weather bigots
d. timid bigots
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 46-47
17. The study conducted by Richard LaPiere described in the text showed that people:
a. dislike Chinese openly and without reservation
b. stereotype Chinese as being war-like
c. were more willing to accept Chinese in person than they were in theory
d. consistently dislike Chinese worse than Japanese people but better than Koreans
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 46-47
18. Legislators in the United States often are persuaded to vote in a certain way by what they perceive as
changed attitudes toward:
a. immigration
b. affirmative action
c. prayer in public schools
d. all of the above
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 47
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19. Scapegoating:
a. involves prejudiced people believing they are society’s victims
b. transfers guilt from the individual to some vulnerable group
c. led to mass extermination of German Jews during World War II
d. all of these
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 50-51
20. A group that is blamed irrationally for society’s problems or difficulties is known as a:
a. contact
b. scapegoat
c. stereotype
d. pluralist
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 50
21. Many U.S. citizens blame immigrants for social problems such as unemployment and crime. The
immigrant, in this instance becomes the:
a. typology
b. pluralist
c. scapegoat
d. stereotype
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 51
22. Research on the “authoritarian personality” was based on:
a. data collected from prisoners in San Quentin State Prison
b. a total sample of more than 2000 respondents
c. a variety of tests
d. all of the above
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 51
23. All of the following are characteristics of an authoritarian personality except:
a. aggressiveness towards non-conformists
b. concern with power and toughness
c. adherence to conventional values
d. disrespect for authority
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 51
24. People with authoritarian personalities:
a. fight against conventional values
b. believe that most moral issues are difficult to resolve
c. accept authority uncritically
d. have considerable formal education
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 51
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25. The exploitation theory of prejudice is based on the works of:
a. Max Weber
b. W. I. Thomas
c. Karl Marx
d. Robert K. Merton
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 52
26. The exploitation theory explains:
a. the rise in white collar crimes
b. the contact hypothesis
c. the basis of racial discrimination in the United States
d. the concept of the authoritarian personality
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 52
27. Which theory would be most likely to point out that the movement to keep Chinese out of the U.S.
was strongest in the late 19th century when Chinese immigrants and Whites fought over jobs?
a. scapegoating
b. the self-fulfilling prophecy
c. the authoritarian personality
d. exploitation
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 52
28. Racism is used to justify the exclusion of minority groups as inferior. Which of the following
explains this process?
a. contact hypothesis
b. self-fulfilling prophecy
c. normative approach
d. exploitation theory
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 52
29. Exploitation theory points out that prejudice is:
a. used by the white working class to minimize competition from minorities
b. caused by authoritarian personalities
c. the result of the prejudiced person’s own lack of skills or motivation
d. rooted in societal norms
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 52
30. The theoretical approach which takes the view that prejudice is influenced by situations that
encourage or discourage the tolerance of minorities is called:
a. frustration-aggression
b. exploitation
c. normative
d. authoritarianism
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 52
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31. A prejudiced person develops more tolerant views when he moves to a community where people are
less prejudiced. This is an example of:
a. exploitation theory
b. normative theory
c. authoritarian personality theory
d. scapegoating theory
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 52
32. A lawyer finds himself becoming more sexist as he competes with three women for a position in a
prestigious law firm. This is an example of:
a. normative theory
b. exploitation theory
c. authoritarian personality theory
d. scapegoating theory
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 52
33. Viewing Blacks as superstitious, Whites as uncaring, Jews as shrewd are examples of:
a. stereotyping
b. prejudice
c. exploitation
d. caste approach
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 53
34. Stereotypes are generalizations about all members of a group that:
a. are unreliable
b. are exaggerated
c. do not take individual differences into account
d. all of these
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 53
35. Stereotyping is related to self-fulfilling prophecy in that:
a. it fosters a negative racial climate
b. people are aware of the negative images others have of them
c. it affects how people interact with one another
d. all of these
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 54
36. When asked to estimate the prevalence of hard-core racism, one-quarter of African-Americans say
that:
a. hard-core racism affects less than 10% of the White population
b. more than half of Whites share the attitudes of groups like the Klu Klux Klan
c. Whites are no more likely to be hard-core racists than other racial groups
d. they have never encountered hard-core racism
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 55
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37. Any police-initiated action based on race, ethnicity, or national origin rather than behavior is called:
a. stereotyping
b. scapegoating
c. racial profiling
d. driving while black (DWB)
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 56
38. Which of the following is NOT an example of racial profiling?
a. Elmo Randolph, a Black dentist, was stopped dozens of times by the police while driving to and
from work.
b. Arab American secret service agent, Walied Shater, was prevented from flying on American Airlines.
c. High schools and colleges using Indians as mascots for sports teams.
d. In the “war on drugs” police have been told to look for black men with dreadlocks.
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 55-56
39. A study of New York City police released in 2011 found that:
a. racial minorities are more likely to be stopped than are White people
b. officers are more likely to search Black or Latino people
c. officers are equally likely to search whites and racial minorities
d. racial minorities are 50% more likely to be found carrying weapons
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 57
40. In 2010 a national survey found that over half of Americans:
a. Oppose security checks for passengers prior to boarding an airplane
b. Favor requiring more intensive security checks for anyone who is not a U.S. citizens
c. Favor more intensive security checks for religious and ethnic minorities even if they are U.S.
citizens
d. Favor more intensive security checks for all males over the age of 18 flying in the U.S.
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 57
41. Color-blind racism refers to the use of race-neutral principles to defend:
a. affirmative action
b. preferential hiring practices
c. the racially unequal status quo
d. multicultural education
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 57
42. Problems such as welfare, urban decay, homelessness, and crime are now viewed as:
a. economic problems
b. race problems
c. political problems
d. structural problems
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 59
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43. Recent survey research on the state of race relations in the U.S. found which of the following?
a. Hispanics are least likely to say that racial tension is a problem.
b. Asian-Americans are most likely to say that every American has an equal opportunity to succeed.
c. Hispanics are most likely to say that the criminal justice system favors the rich and powerful.
d. The majority of Hispanics, African-Americans, and Asian-Americans say that over the next 10
years relations between racial and ethnic groups will get better
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 60
44. The Clarks’ doll experiment in 1947:
a. may have been influenced by the commercial unavailability of Black dolls
b. suggested to the researchers the positive self-image held by Black children
c. included the use of medium-brown dolls, not just the extremes of black and white
d. only used Barbie dolls
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 62
45. Studies show that when the self-image of middle-class African Americans is measured:
a. their feelings of self-esteem are more negative than those of comparable Whites
b. their feelings of self-esteem are about the same as those of comparable Whites
c. their feelings of self-esteem are more positive than those of comparable Whites
d. none of the above; this research has never been conducted
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 62
46. Intergroup hostility refers to prejudice:
a. by Whites toward minorities
b. by men toward women
c. by minorities toward other minorities
d. by the rich towards the poor
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 63
47. When Asian-American respondents are asked how they get along with different minority groups,
which group are they most likely to say they get along with well?
a. African Americans
b. Hispanics
c. Whites
d. American Indians
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 64
48. When Black respondents are asked how they get along with different minority groups, which group do
they say they have the least difficulty getting along with?
a. Whites
b. Hispanics
c. Asians
d. American Indians
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 64
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49. Which of the following is true about the findings from a national survey on how different minority
groups get along?
a. the majority of African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Indian Americans, and Hispanics say that
their group gets along with each of the other groups
b. the majority of African-American respondents say that they do not get along with AsianAmericans
c. the majority of Indian American respondents say they do not get along with Hispanics
d. most of the minority group respondents say that their group is least likely to get along with Whites
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 63-64
50. Studies consistently document that increased formal education is associated with:
a. scapegoating
b. structural approach
c. racial tolerance
d. racism
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 66
51. As of Spring 2007, _________ of the 60 primetime series carried on the four major networks featured
performers of color in leading roles.
a. less than 10%
b. one-fifth
c. one-third
d. one-half
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 67
52. Using a video simulation of armed robbery where subjects were given the task of stopping the fleeing
suspect, researchers found:
a. Subjects who read a fake newspaper account of armed robbery by Black suspects were quicker to
shoot fleeing suspects in the video simulation regardless of their race
b. Subjects who read a fake newspaper account of armed robbery by White suspects were quicker to
shoot fleeing suspects in the video simulation regardless of their race
c. Subjects who read a fake newspaper account of armed robbery by Black suspects were quicker to
shoot fleeing suspects in the video simulation if they were Black
d. Subjects who read a fake newspaper account of armed robbery by White suspects were quicker to
shoot fleeing suspects in the video simulation if they were White
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 68
53. Asking people their willingness to work with or be employed with people of different ethnic
backgrounds measures their level of:
a. discrimination
b. stereotyping
c. social distance
d. scapegoating
ANS: c
Page Ref.: 69
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54. Research on people who have friends of a different race than their own are:
a. more likely talk about their problems with their friends
b. less likely to have been in each other’s homes
c. likely to have shared in more activities with each other
d. likely to report sharing a mutual understanding with their friends
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 69
55. Reality television shows, compared to other television programming have:
a. more racial and ethnic diversity
b. less racial and ethnic diversity
c. fewer commercials
d. about the same level of racial and ethnic representation
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 67
56. According to the social distance scale developed by Emory Bogardus, in the seventy years the tests
were administered:
a. White Americans remained in the top third of the hierarchy
b. eastern and southern Europeans had the same ranking as northern Europeans
c. the distance between the White Americans and racial minorities all but disappeared
d. none of the above
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 69
57. If interracial contact is to reduce prejudice, it must:
a. occur in a work setting
b. be between people of equal status
c. involve people who are in competition with one another
d. be very limited
ANS: b
Page Ref.: 69
58. Which of the following states that interracial interaction between people with equal status in
cooperative circumstances will cause them to become less prejudiced and to abandon previously held
stereotypes?
a. the contact hypothesis
b. the self-fulfilling prophecy
c. normative theory
d. the social distance scale
ANS: a
Page Ref.: 69-70
59. A Hispanic college student from the southwest U.S. arrives at college to find that her roommate is a
Jewish woman from New York. As they get to know one another they are able to overcome their
initial prejudices and grow to appreciate each other’s strengths and talents. This is an example of the:
a. contact hypothesis
b. self-fulfilling prophecy
c. formal education hypothesis
d. melting pot
ANS: a
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Page Ref.: 71
60. Research on internet dating has found that:
a. Whites are most open to dating others from a different ethnic or racial group
b. Race has become irrelevant in the on-line environment
c. African-Americans are least open to dating others from a different ethnic or racial group
d. the digital bubble allows people to avoid others they perceive as different
ANS: d
Page Ref.: 71
Essay Questions
61. Distinguish between prejudice and discrimination and then explain the relationship between them
using Merton’s typology.
Page Ref.: 45-46
62. How are economics related to the formation of prejudice as explained by both the exploitation and
scapegoating theories?
Page Ref.: 50-52
63. Explain how stereotypes can be related to real conditions and yet not apply to most people within a
particular minority group.
Page Ref.: 53-54
64. What is the evidence of intergroup hostility between minority groups? What explanations are there for
exploited and oppressed groups perceiving one another with hostility and suspicion?
Page Ref.: 62-64
65. What is the relationship between education and prejudice? What does this suggest for social policy
approaches to reducing prejudice and discrimination in society?
Page Ref.: 66
66. What are the principles of the contact hypothesis? Illustrate these principles with examples of
situations with high and low potential for a reduction in prejudice.
Page Ref.: 69-70
67. Corporation X is motivated to decrease prejudice and stereotyping among its employees. What
approach would have the most lasting impact on the workers and the organization?
Page Ref.: 72
68. What is the Southern Poverty Law Center? What are some strategies that the SPLC recommends
individuals should use to “fight hate”?
Page Ref.: 74-75
69. Define “White Privilege” and explain how it is invisible to those who benefit from it. Provide
specific examples of privileges based on race.
Page Ref: 49-50
70. Define and describe “racial profiling” giving specific examples of these types of events. Why is
there such reliance on racial profiling in the field of criminal justice?
Page Ref.: 55-57
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