Does Interaction between Different Ethnic or Racial Groups Reduce Prejudice - Essay Example

REDUCING ETHNIC PREJUDICES Abstract Evolutionary psychology deals with the phenomena of the ethnic groups and their existence. The occurrence of the ethnic groups as well as the conflicts between the ethnic groups is the phenomenon related to the human sociology and therefore it needs to be dealt under evolutionary psychology. The psychological mechanisms have the ability to identify the environmental stimuli that help the individual make choices including behaviors towards the other group. Social interaction with one another verbally or non verbally reduces the distances and intolerance. Ethnic groups are made when the people within one ethnic group belong to a single race or have a common social background. The history knows that many differences and intolerances exist between the ethnic groups. Social interaction in any way can reduce the intolerances that are existing between the ethnic groups. The essay hereby will be addressing the possibility of the reduction of the intolerance that exists between different ethnic groups in general. As the only way out of the intolerance between the ethnic groups seems to be the communication gap that needs to be filled by the social interaction. The importance and the role played by the social interaction will be observed in reducing the prejudice. Review of literature By using insights into the evolutionary psychology, the theories address that the ethnic phenomena is better explained by discussing the human nature. In addition to this the evolutionary psychologists see that the evolutionary mechanism that occur within the brain of a human is also one of the main reasons behind the ethnic phenomena and the way human beings engage themselves in ethnic grouping (Anthias, 2002, p.12). The earlier psychologists have carried out a detailed debate about the groupings, the attachment and the kinship occuring within the ethnic groups. These kind of attachments between the ethnic groups is considered to be very durable and strong. Ethnicity has been seen to have many faces as nationalism that has been responsible for the freedom and stability in Greece and states as Croatia (Augoustinos, 2001, p.12). The differences are the ones that make one ethnic group different from the other and therefore the rise of the prejudices is expected. The ideologies, the cultural following, the rules that are followed by one ethnic group might not be appreciated or welcomed by the other group and that might be one of the reasons of intolerance between the variety of ethnic groups within the borders and across the borders as well (Rubin, 1967, p.234). This makes the ethnic groups remain bound within themselves and they seldom communicate with the other ethnic groups based on the differences. Though the ethnic groups remain within themselves, however it has been noticed that the ethnic groups can be united when the dire needs want so. This has been seen to be possible when the masses are needed for the revolutions. The analysis of Mentzel has been the one analysis that gives an insight into the persuasive connection that occurs between the manipulation by the political entities and the masses’ response. The political calls for the masses can be the one reason that makes the ethnic groups unite at one platform and have one aim and goal. This can be discussed when the calls are made for the protection of the country which not only unifies all the existing ethnic groups but also one sacrificial behavior is seen by the unified citizens(Hornsey, 2000, p.243). The classical examples in this case can be quoted is the call that was made by Joseph Stalin for the protection of Mother Russia when Adolf Hitler from Germany had invasion plans against Russia. Here the need was the dire one and this helped the psychologists practically realize that the kinship is the main factor that can bring the people of different ethnic backgrounds together when the need becomes more calamitous (Verkuyten, 2005, p.12). Thereby the history shows us the development of the nation states when the kinship had been aroused between different ethnic groups and the unification of all the ethnic groups for one specific cause and one reason. The differences that the ethnic groups had were no longer of any importance when the dire need had been realized. Here today the dire need is the elimination of the communication gap between the ethnic groups that increases the tolerance in between (Brewer, 2005, p 430). Social interaction is one phenomena that plays a very important role in how people within the society meet each other and how the relationships within are made and developed. Social interaction is the way in which people behave towards the other people around them. There are many factors that play a role in these interactions which include the way we perceive the world around us and the cognitive behavior towards the society (Schaefer, 2003, p.33). Role of ethnicity Ethnicity is the main factor that influences the social interactions as ethnicity shapes the way a person perceives the surroundings. The basics and the foundations between the right and the wrong are lied down by ethnicity to which the person belongs (Rubin, 2008, p.33). Thus, it can be said that ethnicity is the way in which the life of a person is defined as well as the way the life of a person is lived altogether. Ethnicity shapes up the experiences of the people living within a society. The experiences that are gained within the life of an individual are measured by the cognitive abilities that are used within the ethnic provisions. Thereby ethnicity designs how a person thinks, how the things are acted upon, as well as how the behaviors are designed for any action (Oskamp, 2000, p.40). Within the theoretical aspects from social psychology, the term of multiculturalism has been introduced which points to the existence of different groupings within the state. This is explanative of the fact that the groups that form within the states lead to a breakdown of the unity within the state and leads to the rise of more prejudices between the groups (Keough, 1999, p.34). Anthony D. Smith has given the theory named as ethno-symbolism and this is the theory that makes use of psychological aspects of ethnicity as well as the history. In this particular theory. the importance has been given to the fact of nationalism and the development of the nations by the unification of all the ethnic groups as has been afore mentioned (Grolier Incorporated, 2002, p.33). The major example that has been seen by people all around the world is the racial and the ethnic tension that has been prevalent in the blacks and the white people living in United States in the period of the 60s (Healey, 2005, p. 33). This had been the time when the blacks and whites had no tolerance for each other and severe conflicts were seen between these two races. Slavery, unemployment, racial criticism, racial discrimination, no education policies were being enforced on the blacks as the racial and the ethnic conflicts were taking control of the two major ethnic groups in the past. The blacks has been the minority in United States and therefore that had given the whites a greater hold thereby designing the hatred policies for the blacks that created much of the ethnic prejudices between the two major communities (Franzoi, 2002, p. 12). The modern days are the evidence of the fact that not only the two communities and the ethnic groups have accepted each other but are living with each other in a peaceful manner. This has been possible because of the dissolution of the communication gap that had been a problem of conflicts between the two ethnic groups in the past (Fishbein, 2002, p.18). The education universities are the same for both groups, the employment is the same for both groups thereby the ethnic groups are enjoying all the rights available to everyone. This is one of the major examples which codes that there is a communication gap that is always existing between the ethnic groups that makes the conflicts and the prejudices even more harder to solve (Dovidio, 2005, p.33). Thereby the introduction of communication between the ethnic groups can be the way to reduce the racial or ethnic prejudices within the communities (Craighead, 2000, p. 33). Conclusions Ethnicity is the set of the ideas that is adopted by the certain group of people. People within one ethnic groups are very attached and loyal to their idea as these are the ideas that make the base of the cognitive abilities that the ethnic group uses to perceive the surroundings in his own way. The ethnic kinship is found to be very durable. The set of ideologies that one ethnic group follows are usually different from the stet of ideas within the other ethnic groups thereby leading to the differences that create prejudices between the ethnic groups. The ethnic groups can deal with the differences in different manners that may lead to the social level upsets as the blacks and the white conflict in USA in the 60s. This is the face of conflicts that need to be suppressed and this has been seen to be possible by the use of proper communication and social interaction between the ethnic groups which will eventually lead to sharing of the ideas. References Bibliography Anthias, F., and Lloyd, C. (2002). Rethinking Anti-racisms: From Theory to Practice. Routledge. Augoustinos, M., and Reynolds, K. (2001). Understanding prejudice, racism, and social conflict. SAGE Publications Ltd. Bornstein, M. (2003). Well-being: positive development across the life course. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Brewer, M., and Hewstone, M. (2004). Self and social identity. Illustrated Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. Craighead, W., and Nemeroff, C. (2000). The Corsini encyclopedia of psychology and behavioral science. 3rd illustrated edition. John Wiley and Sons. Dovidio, J. F., Glick, P. S., & Rudman, L. A. (2005). Intergroup Contact: When Does it Work, and Why? Electronic book On the nature of prejudice : fifty years after Allport. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell. Fishbein, H. (2002). Peer prejudice and discrimination: the origins of prejudice. 2nd edition. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Franzoi, S. (2002). Social psychology. 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill. Grolier Incorporated. (2002). The encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Incorporated. Healey, J. (2005). Race, ethnicity, gender, and class: the sociology of group conflict and change. 4th edition. Pine Forge Press. Keough, K., and Garcia, J. (1999). Social Psychology of Gender, Race and Ethnicity. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Oskamp, S. (2000). Reducing prejudice and discrimination. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Rubin, K., Bukowski, W., and Laursen, B. (2008). Handbook of Peer Interactions, Relationships, and Groups. Guilford Press. Schaefer, R. (2003). Racial and ethnic groups. 9th edition. Prentice Hall. Verkuyten, M. (2005). The social psychology of ethnic identity. Psychology Press. Journal articles Brewer, M. (2005). The Psychology of Prejudice: Ingroup Love and Outgroup Hate? Journal of Social Issues, 55(3), 429 – 444. Hornsey, M. (2000). Subgroup Relations: A Comparison of Mutual Intergroup Differentiation and Common Ingroup Identity Models of Prejudice Reduction. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26(2), 242-256. Rubin, Irwin, R. (1967). Increased self-acceptance: A means of reducing prejudice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 5(2), 233-238. Read More

This makes the ethnic groups remain bound within themselves and they seldom communicate with the other ethnic groups based on the differences. Though the ethnic groups remain within themselves, however it has been noticed that the ethnic groups can be united when the dire needs want so. This has been seen to be possible when the masses are needed for the revolutions. The analysis of Mentzel has been the one analysis that gives an insight into the persuasive connection that occurs between the manipulation by the political entities and the masses’ response.

The political calls for the masses can be the one reason that makes the ethnic groups unite at one platform and have one aim and goal. This can be discussed when the calls are made for the protection of the country which not only unifies all the existing ethnic groups but also one sacrificial behavior is seen by the unified citizens(Hornsey, 2000, p.243). The classical examples in this case can be quoted is the call that was made by Joseph Stalin for the protection of Mother Russia when Adolf Hitler from Germany had invasion plans against Russia.

Here the need was the dire one and this helped the psychologists practically realize that the kinship is the main factor that can bring the people of different ethnic backgrounds together when the need becomes more calamitous (Verkuyten, 2005, p.12). Thereby the history shows us the development of the nation states when the kinship had been aroused between different ethnic groups and the unification of all the ethnic groups for one specific cause and one reason. The differences that the ethnic groups had were no longer of any importance when the dire need had been realized.

Here today the dire need is the elimination of the communication gap between the ethnic groups that increases the tolerance in between (Brewer, 2005, p 430). Social interaction is one phenomena that plays a very important role in how people within the society meet each other and how the relationships within are made and developed. Social interaction is the way in which people behave towards the other people around them. There are many factors that play a role in these interactions which include the way we perceive the world around us and the cognitive behavior towards the society (Schaefer, 2003, p.33). Role of ethnicity Ethnicity is the main factor that influences the social interactions as ethnicity shapes the way a person perceives the surroundings.

The basics and the foundations between the right and the wrong are lied down by ethnicity to which the person belongs (Rubin, 2008, p.33). Thus, it can be said that ethnicity is the way in which the life of a person is defined as well as the way the life of a person is lived altogether. Ethnicity shapes up the experiences of the people living within a society. The experiences that are gained within the life of an individual are measured by the cognitive abilities that are used within the ethnic provisions.

Thereby ethnicity designs how a person thinks, how the things are acted upon, as well as how the behaviors are designed for any action (Oskamp, 2000, p.40). Within the theoretical aspects from social psychology, the term of multiculturalism has been introduced which points to the existence of different groupings within the state. This is explanative of the fact that the groups that form within the states lead to a breakdown of the unity within the state and leads to the rise of more prejudices between the groups (Keough, 1999, p.34). Anthony D.

Smith has given the theory named as ethno-symbolism and this is the theory that makes use of psychological aspects of ethnicity as well as the history. In this particular theory. the importance has been given to the fact of nationalism and the development of the nations by the unification of all the ethnic groups as has been afore mentioned (Grolier Incorporated, 2002, p.33). The major example that has been seen by people all around the world is the racial and the ethnic tension that has been prevalent in the blacks and the white people living in United States in the period of the 60s (Healey, 2005, p. 33).

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