Question 1

In the United States, which race would be considered the dominant group?

Accepted Answer

The dominant group in the United States is considered to be White, due to historical, social, and economic factors that have placed White Americans in a position of power and privilege relative to other racial groups.

Question 2

Which group within the United States has been stereotyped as the model minority?

Accepted Answer

The Asian American community has been stereotypically labeled as the "model minority," a term that suggests they are more successful than other minority groups, often in terms of education and income. This stereotype, however, overlooks the diversity and challenges within the Asian American community.

Question 3

The term discrimination is defined in the text as:

Accepted Answer

Discrimination refers to actions or behaviors that result from prejudiced views, where individuals or groups are treated unfairly or unjustly based on their membership in a particular group. This definition aligns with option D, which highlights prejudiced action against a group of people.

Question 4

Angela believes that race relations in America are poor because the white ruling class has enacted various laws and regulations to keep other racial groups from achieving equality.With which sociological perspective does Angela's view best align?

Accepted Answer

Angela's view aligns with conflict theory, which emphasizes the role of power and coercion in producing social order. This perspective particularly focuses on how wealth, status, and power are distributed unevenly across society, often leading to conflicts between different groups, in this case, racial groups. Angela's belief that laws and regulations are used by the ruling class to maintain inequality reflects the conflict theory's emphasis on the struggles between different social classes or groups.

Question 5

Adolf Hitler blaming Germany's pre-war problems on the Jewish population is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The scapegoat theory explains how individuals or groups may be unfairly blamed for problems not of their making, as Hitler did by blaming the Jewish population for Germany's issues.

Question 6

President Franklin D.Roosevelt's executive order 9066, which authorized the establishment of internment camps for anyone with as little as one-eighth Japanese ancestry following Pearl Harbor, is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Executive Order 9066, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942, led to the forced relocation and internment of Japanese Americans, many of whom were U.S. citizens, during World War II. This act is an example of expulsion, where individuals or groups are forced to leave a particular area or country.

Question 7

In 2010, what did controversial Senate Bill 1070 propose, causing a series of protests and legal battles?

Accepted Answer

Senate Bill 1070, passed in Arizona, allowed police officers to check the immigration status of anyone they suspected of being in the country illegally during a lawful stop, detention, or arrest.

Question 8

Max believes that most people's racial beliefs are based on images conveyed in popular media since many people never meet members of certain races for themselves.Max's perspective is:

Accepted Answer

Max's perspective is that of a symbolic interactionist because it focuses on how people develop and rely on social constructs, such as race, through interaction and media, rather than through direct experience. Symbolic interactionism emphasizes the role of symbols and language as core elements of all human interaction.

Question 9

The term segregation is defined in the text as:

Accepted Answer

The term segregation refers to the physical and social separation of groups, especially based on racial, ethnic, or social differences. This separation often occurs in various aspects of life, including where people live, work, and engage in social activities. Choices A, B, and C describe assimilation, genocide, and multicultural integration, respectively, not segregation.

Question 10

Cedric's uncle believes that racism and discrimination have made a positive impact on society - but only in the lives of those who are members of the dominant group.Which sociological perspective is Cedric's uncle coming from?

Accepted Answer

Functionalism views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. Cedric's uncle's belief aligns with this perspective by suggesting that racism and discrimination contribute to the social order by benefiting the dominant group, despite the negative impacts on others.

Question 11

When Alexander, who is white, drives his car over the speed limit, a police officer lets him off with a warning.When Christopher, who is Hispanic, drives his car at the same speed as Alexander on the same road, the officer gives him a ticket, even though his record is clean.This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

This scenario illustrates "white privilege," where Alexander, who is white, receives a more favorable outcome (a warning) compared to Christopher, who is Hispanic and receives a ticket for the same behavior. This difference in treatment based on race exemplifies the concept of white privilege, where individuals benefit in society due to their white racial identity.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT an example of a stereotype?

Accepted Answer

Stereotypes are oversimplified generalizations about groups of people. Choice C is not a stereotype but rather an action based on a specific dietary preference of an individual, not a generalized belief about a group.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of racial steering?

Accepted Answer

Racial steering refers to the practice where real estate agents or others in the housing industry guide prospective home buyers towards or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race. Choice A directly describes this scenario, where agents direct white clients and non-white clients to different neighborhoods based on race.

Question 14

Speedy Gonzalez is a popular cartoon character, but is widely considered an inappropriate stereotype.Many children are raised watching Speedy Gonzalez cartoons, unaware that such stereotypes are negative.This is a product of:

Accepted Answer

Speedy Gonzalez is considered an inappropriate stereotype because it perpetuates certain negative or simplistic views about a particular group, in this case, Mexicans. This is a product of the culture of prejudice, where stereotypes are embedded within cultural products like cartoons, influencing perceptions from a young age.

Question 15

Arizona Senate Bill 1070, often referred to colloquially as the "papers, please" law, was aimed widely at those of:

Accepted Answer

Arizona Senate Bill 1070, known as the "papers, please" law, was primarily aimed at individuals of Mexican descent. This legislation made it a state misdemeanor for an alien to be in Arizona without carrying the required documents, leading to significant controversy and claims of racial profiling against Latino individuals.

Question 16

According to the social construction of race school of thought, race is:

Accepted Answer

The social construction of race school of thought posits that race is not an inherent physical or biological reality but rather a concept that is constructed and given meaning through social processes, interactions, and historical contexts. This perspective argues that while there may be physical variations among different human populations, the boundaries and significance we attribute to these variations (i.e., race) are socially determined rather than based on any clear-cut biological or genetic criteria.

Question 17

Asad's first grade class is diverse: there are two students from Korea, five students from South America, two students from the United States, three students from Kuwait, a student from Mexico, two students from England, and five students from western Europe.Asad's class is:

Accepted Answer

Asad's class is described as having students from various countries, indicating a mix of different cultures and backgrounds. This diversity without segregation or assimilation into a single culture is best described as pluralistic.

Question 18

1967's Supreme Court case Loving v.Virginia, a case which legally allowed interracial marriage, is an example of

Accepted Answer

Amalgamation refers to the merging or combining of different elements, and in the context of Loving v. Virginia, it specifically relates to the legal allowance of interracial marriage, which is a form of racial or ethnic amalgamation.

Question 19

The majority of American citizens are descendents of immigrants?

Accepted Answer

The United States is a nation largely built by immigrants, with the majority of its citizens being descendants of individuals who moved from other countries across various generations.

Question 20

The term assimilation is defined by the text as:

Accepted Answer

Assimilation refers to the process where individuals or groups from minority communities adopt the practices, language, and culture of the dominant group in a society, often to blend in or gain acceptance.

Quiz 11: Race and Ethnicity