Deck 8: Race and Ethnicity

Question 1

The sociological definition of race is based on

A) the genetic makeup of humans.
B) the ʺpurityʺ of racial background.
C) body type and bone structure.
D) how societies perceive and define people as biologically different.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

One of several problems with the biological classification of races is that

A) ethnic differences are more important than physical differences.
B) most people are light-skinned rather than dark-skinned.
C) most people are not physically distinctive.
D) most physically distinctive people do not fit these categories.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Compared with those of the general population, Native Americans

A) have higher employment and poverty rates.
B) have lower unemployment and poverty rates.
C) have lower suicide rates.
D) fare financially better than all other racial groups.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true of African Americans today?

A) Prejudice against blacks in economics and housing no longer exists.
B) The black middle class has increased greatly.
C) Poor blacks are getting poorer.
D) Well-educated blacks find it easier than whites of equivalent qualifications to get high-paying jobs.

Question 5

All ethnic groups share

A) physical characteristics.
B) a distinctive cultural heritage.
C) religion.
D) countries of national origin.

Question 6

Which of the following statements is NOT a false concept that the European settlers created to stereotype Native Americans?

A) They were portrayed as scalp hunters.
B) They were stereotyped as lazy.
C) They were accused of living in tribes.
D) They were described as savages.

Question 7

One result of efforts by the U.S. government to promote tribal economic development and self-sufficiency has been

A) the full integration of native Americans into the larger society.
B) a national movement to make Native Americans feel proud of their cultural heritage.
C) an upsurge in inter-tribal competition, especially in areas of the country.
D) a dramatic increase in the amount of taxes used to support Native American areas.

Question 8

The cultural traits of an ethnic group

A) are the same for all cultures.
B) are the same as the racial group.
C) are genetically ingrained in each generation.
D) are culturally learned and passed from one generation to another.

Question 9

When a racial or ethnic group is subject to prejudice and discrimination, it is called a group.

A) social
B) cultural
C) minority
D) majority

Question 10

The famous golfer Tiger Woods, as an African American, has created the acronym ʺCablinasianʺ to describe his mixed racial background. Mr. Woods is an example of all of the following EXCEPT

A) there are no clear-cut biological distinctions for specific races.
B) there are no ʺpureʺ races.
C) the definition of race is socially perceived.
D) the definition of race is the same in all societies.

Question 11

In 1988, the U.S. government heeded demands by Indian leaders for Indian unity and identity by adopting a policy that promotes

A) full integration of Indians into the larger society.
B) tribal self-sufficiency.
C) inter-tribal competition.
D) affirmative action.

Question 12

The largest minority group in the U.S. today is

A) African Americans.
B) Asians.
C) Whites.
D) Hispanics.

Question 13

Which of the following statements is NOT a gain won by blacks during the past twenty years of the Civil Rights Movement?

A) the equalizing of the median years of schooling completed for African Americans compared with the general population
B) the election of African Americans to various prominent public offices
C) increasing the social recognition of African Americans
D) the equalizing of the median income for African Americans as with the general population

Question 14

The definition of race

A) is a scientific fact.
B) reflects universal categories of racial classification.
C) varies from one society to another.
D) is the same in European countries but not Asian ones.

Question 15

The Holiwards are a group of refugees who recently moved into a new country. Their customs and language differed from the residents of their new country, but they soon gained employment and good housing. The Holiwards are an example of an) group.

A) ethnic
B) minority
C) racial
D) social

Question 16

The popular classification of human races recognizes three groups that include

A) caucasoid, mongoloid, and negroid.
B) caucasoid, Jewish, and negroid.
C) Pacific Islander, mongoloid, and negroid.
D) negroid, white, and Asian.

Question 17

The ʺAmerican dilemmaʺ refers to what central fact about the United Statesʹ history of race and ethnic relations?

A) that many history books donʹt accurately describe the experiences of many minority groups
B) the discrepancy between the ideal of European ways of life and the reality of immigration
C) the fact that most U.S. citizens do not believe in ethnic equality
D) the discrepancy between the ideal of equality and the reality of discrimination

Question 18

Which of the following statements about race and ethnicity is true?

A) As ʺmodel Americans,ʺ Asian Americans are more economically successful than other groups, including whites.
B) While a peopleʹs physical features do not change when they move to another country, their racial identification as blacks or whites may change.
C) Since Jewish Americans as a whole are prosperous, they tend to be conservative or to vote Republican, like other prosperous Americans.
D) Since prejudice and discrimination are awful, they are bound to make minorities less successful than the dominant group.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of prejudice?

A) charging someone more money for goods or services based on their race
B) not selling a house to someone because of their ethnic background
C) not promoting someone on the basis of race
D) feeling negatively about people from a particular ethnic group

Question 20

ʺJim Crowʺ refers to

A) customs that grew up after the Civil War that maintained segregation between blacks and whites.
B) laws enacted to establish rules on ʺIndianʺ reservations.
C) laws enacted after federal troops left the South that segregated blacks from whites.
D) laws enacted during slavery times to maintain segregation between blacks and whites.

Question 21

Assimilation, amalgamation and pluralism are all processes that

A) dominant groups have developed to regulate ethnic relations.
B) minorities use to respond to processes of the majority.
C) dominant groups use to harm and subjugate minorities.
D) can lead to the development of prejudice and discrimination.

Question 22

By and large, white ethnics

A) prefer to live in their old ethnic neighborhood.
B) no longer speak the language of their immigrant parents.
C) routinely marry within their own group.
D) are people whose relatives emigrated primarily from Western Europe.

Question 23

Chinese and Japanese Americans are educationally and occupationally

A) among the most successful minorities.
B) equal with the general population.
C) more successful than Hispanics, but less successful than African Americans.
D) less successful than other Asian Americans.

Question 24

The peaceful coexistence of racial groups where each group retains their own subculture is called

A) cultural pluralism.
B) amalgamation.
C) assimilation.
D) melting pot.

Question 25

The largest component of the Hispanic community in the United States are the

A) South Americans.
B) Puerto Ricans.
C) Cubans.
D) Mexicans.

Question 26

Research suggests that Hispanics who are educated and have a proficiency in the English language

A) have a lower occupational rate than non -Hispanics.
B) are better educated than other minorities.
C) have an occupational rate about the same as non -Hispanics.
D) still cannot find jobs.

Question 27

is the process by which a minority adopts the dominant groupʹs culture as the culture of the larger society.

A) Cultural pluralism
B) Amalgamation
C) Assimilation
D) Segregation

Question 28

Even though anti-Semitism has seen an increase in recent years, Jewish -Americans

A) face more prejudice and discrimination than other minorities.
B) face less prejudice and discrimination than other minorities.
C) are still viewed as nonreligious.
D) are viewed as the least successful of all minority groups.

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT a reason why Asiansʹ higher family income is misleading when compared to whites?

A) Asian families on average are larger than white families.
B) Most Asians live in states where the cost of living is higher.
C) Asians still have not gained as much education as whites.
D) Asians experience subtle discrimination in many areas.

Question 30

Which of the following statements about Jewish Americans today is NOT true?

A) Jewish Americans have become the most successful minority.
B) Jewish Americans have eliminated poverty in their midst.
C) Despite prosperity, Jewish Americans tend to be more liberal.
D) Jewish Americans are in danger of losing their traditional identity.

Question 31

The dominant group in the United States is made up of

A) Asians.
B) Jewish Americans.
C) Western and Northern European Americans.
D) White ethnics.

Question 32

The term ʺmelting potʺ refers to societies that seek

A) cultural pluralism.
B) structural assimilation.
C) amalgamation.
D) behavioral assimilation.

Question 33

All of the following are statements about white ethnics are true EXCEPT

A) are more likely to be middle class than other minorities.
B) tend to be blue-collar workers.
C) tend to be politically liberal.
D) generally free of racial prejudice.

Question 34

In Canada, the national government has given legal protection to the French language and to French-Canadian rights in a predominately English-speaking nation. These efforts should make Canada a society that is more

A) assimilated.
B) pluralistic.
C) ethnocentric.
D) stereotyped.

Question 35

The author of the text suggests that our lack of historical perspective of racial inequality

A) compels us to keep pushing for equality.
B) prohibits us from reaching equality.
C) helps us see inequality in its proper perspective.
D) prohibits us from pushing for equality.

Question 36

Which of the following aspects of Hispanic American life does not serve to unify Hispanics as an ethnic group?

A) their language
B) their religion
C) their growing involvement in politics
D) their low level of education

Question 37

During World War II, which group of Asians were confined in concentration campus in the United States?

A) the Chinese
B) the Koreans
C) the Southeast Asians
D) the Japanese

Question 38

Studies of anti-Jewish attitudes indicate that such attitudes are

A) basked on actual experience.
B) inconsistent and irrational.
C) functional for American society.
D) found only in certain urban areas.

Question 39

In reference to the status of minorities today, sociologist Orlando Patterson concluded that America, while still flawed in its race relations, is now

A) the most racist white-majority society in the world.
B) the least racist white-majority society in the world.
C) the country most committed to multiculturalism.
D) the least racist white-minority society in the world.

Question 40

The stereotype of Asians as a ʺmodel minorityʺ hurts many Asians because

A) many young Asians have now become lazy.
B) the stereotype creates less parental pressure for the young to succeed.
C) these beliefs provoke resentment and even hostility against Asians.
D) success has lessened the support of a close-knit family.

Question 41

Since Jewish Americans are generally prosperous, they tend to be conservative and to vote Republican, like other prosperous U.S. citizens.

Question 42

According the conflict perspective, various racial and ethnic groups can contribute to social cohesion through assimilation, amalgamation or cultural pluralism.

Question 43

The separation of groups that is sanctioned by law, such as the system that used to exist in America and South Africa, is called

A) de jure segregation.
B) de facto segregation.
C) genocide.
D) expulsion.

Question 44

After more than 200 years of colonial subjugation, Native Americans today find themselves at the bottom of the U.S. socioeconomic ladder.

Question 45

According to the text, despite the history of discrimination against them, Asian Americans are doing relatively well today.

Question 46

The long histories of discrimination in education, the economy, and other areas of American life has resulted in

A) more and more prejudice.
B) de jure discrimination.
C) institutionalized discrimination.
D) an upsurge of ethnic feelings.

Question 47

If a white person discriminates against blacks, he or she must be prejudiced.

Question 48

There are three distinct, pure races: white, Asian and black.

Question 49

When people move from one country to another, their racial characteristics, such as skin color and facial features, do not change.

Question 50

According to Robert K. Mertonʹs analysis of prejudice and discrimination, the Ku Klux Klan would most likely be considered

A) unprejudiced nondiscriminators.
B) unprejudiced discriminators.
C) prejudiced nondiscriminators.
D) prejudiced discriminators.

Question 51

Which of the following is a social psychological cause of prejudice and discrimination?

A) socialization
B) economic competition
C) scapegoating
D) the maintenance of governmental power

Question 52

African Americans are heavily concentrated in the South.

Question 53

When the Cherokee Indians refused to give up land wanted by white settlers, they were killed in large numbers. This illustrates a form of rejection known as

A) assimilation.
B) amalgamation.
C) extermination.
D) pluralism.

Question 54

Discrimination is a negative attitude toward a certain category of people.

Question 55

The ʺboat peopleʺ who were driven out of Cuba by Fidel Castro are examples of what type of majority group rejection?

A) segregation
B) genocide
C) detainment
D) expulsion

Question 56

In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled that university admission policies

A) could consider race to attain diversity but not for maintaining a quota.
B) could not consider race.
C) could establish quotas to attain diversity.
D) could only consider outreach programs to attain diversity.

Question 57

A degree of human prejudice can be explained by the tendency of human beings to place the blame for oneʹs troubles on persons incapable of offering much resistance. This device is known as

A) scapegoating.
B) projection.
C) racism.
D) de jure discrimination.

Question 58

The United States is a nation of immigrants, who have come from all over the world.

Question 59

Merton called people who believe in equality and put their beliefs into action

A) unprejudiced nondiscriminators.
B) fair-weather liberals.
C) prejudiced discriminators.
D) prejudiced nondiscriminators.

Question 60

Which of the following statements is NOT a reason why ethnic conflict is so fierce in many countries?

A) The hostile group has an overly strong ethnic identity.
B) The involved countries are experiencing enormous political and economic problems.
C) The victims of ethnic conflict acted in ways that brought out ethnic hostility.
D) Politicians seek power by blaming the problems on minorities.

Question 61

Genocide is the wholesale killing of members of a specific racial or ethnic group.

Question 62

A is a racial or ethnic group that is subjected to prejudice and discrimination.

Question 63

To conflict theorists, racial and ethnic relations can be negative, marked by , the belief that oneʹs own race or ethnicity is superior to that of others.

Question 64

have become more racially tolerant today.

Question 65

is a form of acceptance of minority groups that can create a melting pot where many subcultures blend together and produce a new culture, as it did in Brazil.

Question 66

is a policy that requires employers and academic institutions to make special efforts to recruit qualified minorities for jobs, promotions, and educational opportunities.

Question 67

White Anglo-Saxon Protestants is also known as .

Question 68

is the process by which a minority adopts the dominant groupʹs culture as the culture of the larger society.

Question 69

Segregation only includes social separation of the dominant and minority groups.

Question 70

Prejudice and discrimination are far from unique to the United States.

Question 71

Descendents of immigrants from Europe, or European Americans are popularly known as
.

Question 72

refers to discrimination and prejudice aimed against Jews.

Question 73

As a biological concept, refers to a large category of people who share certain inherited physical characteristics.

Question 74

Affirmative action policies that are designed to pressure some organizations to hire or promote minorities are aimed at reducing discrimination.

Question 75

An) is a collection of people like the Jews or the Irish who share a distinctive cultural heritage.

Question 76

is an unfavorable action against individuals that is taken because they are members of a certain category.

Question 77

Since the 1960s, the Civil Rights Act has paved the way for improvements in the position of African Americans.

Question 78

is a negative attitude toward members of a minority that is often based on negative stereotypes.

Question 79

The Jews are a race.

Question 80

A new minority group has emerged in the United States- , also called Latinos.