Question 1

Social psychologists have found that, when given a test of subtle or unconscious racial stereotyping such as the Implicit Association Test (IAT), most whites quickly associate black faces (photos) with negative words and traits (for instance, with evil character traits or failure).

Accepted Answer

Research in social psychology, particularly studies involving the Implicit Association Test (IAT), has consistently shown that many individuals, including whites, tend to more quickly associate black faces with negative words and traits, indicating the presence of subtle or unconscious racial biases.

Question 2

In research projects where whites have been shown black faces, even for milliseconds, key areas of their brains that respond to perceived threats have tended to light up automatically under brain scans.

Accepted Answer

Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have shown that when some white participants are shown images of black faces, even briefly, areas of the brain associated with threat detection, such as the amygdala, can show increased activity, indicating an automatic, unconscious response.

Question 3

A recent Washington Post analysis of polls of three generations of white Americans found that millennial respondents were very different in racist attitudes to older respondents.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A recent Washington Post analysis of polls...

Question 4

A 1990s national survey asked whites to evaluate on a scale how work-oriented blacks are. Almost 60 percent of whites surveyed ranked blacks at the hardworking end.

Accepted Answer

The statement is misleading as it suggests a positive racial stereotype that is not supported by the data from most surveys conducted in the 1990s, which often revealed more complex and varied perceptions of work ethic across racial lines.

Question 5

An American National Election Study found that on a seven-point rating scale (from "hard working" to "lazy") the majority of whites rated whites as harder working than blacks.

Accepted Answer

Studies, including those by the American National Election Study, have found evidence of racial stereotypes affecting perceptions, with a significant number of white respondents rating whites as harder working than blacks on various scales.

Question 6

An American National Election Study found that 44 percent of whites saw whites as more intelligent than blacks.

Accepted Answer

The American National Election Studies (ANES) have collected data on public opinions, including racial attitudes, which have shown varying levels of racial bias among different demographic groups, including perceptions of intelligence based on race.

Question 7

One major 1990s poll found that the majority of those questioned thought that most poor Americans were black.

Accepted Answer

Surveys from the 1990s, including a 1990 Washington Post poll, found that a significant portion of Americans overestimated the percentage of the poor who were Black, reflecting widespread stereotypes and misconceptions about poverty and race in the United States.

Question 8

One major 1990s poll found that the majority of those questioned thought that most welfare recipients were black.

Accepted Answer

Surveys from the 1990s, including a 1994 study by Martin Gilens, found that a significant portion of Americans overestimated the percentage of African Americans among the poor and welfare recipients, reflecting widespread stereotypes and misconceptions about racial demographics and welfare.

Question 9

One recent study found that whites' negative views of African Americans still hinder their willingness to support even strict and limited government welfare programs.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that racial attitudes, including negative views held by some whites towards African Americans, can influence public opinion on welfare policies, leading to less support for these programs even when they are strict and limited. This is because some individuals may perceive these programs as disproportionately benefiting groups they view negatively.

Question 10

One recent study found that whites' welfare views are less racialized than they were a decade earlier.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One recent study found that whites' welfare...

Question 11

One recent study found that a greater presence of white workers in a government welfare agency decreases the likelihood of a negative termination of assistance for black welfare recipients and for similar white recipients.

Accepted Answer

The study actually found that a greater presence of black workers in a government welfare agency decreases the likelihood of a negative termination of assistance for black welfare recipients, suggesting that racial representation among staff can impact the outcomes for welfare recipients.

Question 12

Very rarely have white media commentators or researchers accented strengths of black women, men, and communities.

Accepted Answer

Historically, mainstream media and research have often focused on negative stereotypes or challenges faced by black communities, rather than highlighting their strengths, achievements, and positive contributions.

Question 13

Recent social science researchers have found that whites, but not other nonblacks, tend to view black men as more physically threatening and more capable of doing them harm than young white men.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recent social science researchers have found that...

Question 14

An examination of news stories in Pittsburgh's newspapers and television media found that the largest block of reports on African American males was about crime.

Accepted Answer

Studies and analyses of media coverage, including in cities like Pittsburgh, have consistently shown that African American males are disproportionately represented in crime reporting compared to other subjects, contributing to negative stereotypes and perceptions.

Question 15

An examination of news stories in Pittsburgh's newspapers and television media found that everyday quality-of-life issues involving black males in such areas as the arts, education, employment, and leadership received far more attention than reports on African American males and crime.

Accepted Answer

Studies and reports have often shown that media coverage tends to disproportionately focus on crime when it comes to African American males, rather than highlighting positive aspects or achievements in areas like the arts, education, employment, and leadership.

Question 16

Research on media priming demonstrates that even one major exposure to racist portrayals can engender stereotype-based responses among whites toward blacks.

Accepted Answer

Research on media priming has shown that exposure to media portrayals that reinforce stereotypes, including racist portrayals, can activate those stereotypes in the minds of viewers. This activation can lead to stereotype-based responses and judgments, even after a single major exposure.

Question 17

A national survey found that 40 percent of black men and black women had experienced discrimination from whites and others who acted afraid of them.

Accepted Answer

This statement is consistent with findings from various national surveys and studies that have documented experiences of discrimination among black men and women, including being treated with fear by others.

Question 18

In a recent research project involving an examination of a predominantly white neighborhood's email listserv, researchers found that most emails about suspicious people on the listserv centered on black men as supposed threats to the neighborhood.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that in predominantly white neighborhoods, discussions on community listservs or online forums often disproportionately identify black individuals, particularly men, as suspicious or threatening, reflecting broader societal biases and stereotypes about race and criminality.

Question 19

An experimental study found that exposing white subjects to news portrayals of white and black perpetrators of rape crimes resulted in more punitive judgments about black perpetrators than white perpetrators.

Accepted Answer

The study highlights the impact of racial bias in media portrayals on perceptions and judgments, showing that exposure to racialized news can lead to harsher judgments against black perpetrators compared to white ones.

Question 20

African Americans and Native Americans make-up most of the people incarcerated for illegal drug use.

Accepted Answer

African Americans are incarcerated at a disproportionately high rate for drug offenses compared to their population size, but when considering the total number of people incarcerated for drug offenses, white Americans constitute a larger absolute number. Native Americans also face disproportionate incarceration rates, but they do not make up the majority of those incarcerated for drug offenses.

Quiz 4: Contemporary Racial Framing: White Americans