Prejudice is the main theme in the article “Causes of Prejudice” by Vincent Parrillo. According to Parrillo (Vincent 504), sociology and psychology are the main causes of prejudice. The plot of the article is divided into two main sections. The first one is prejudice in the psychology perspective, and the other one is the sociology perspective. The psychology perspective section focuses on four distinct areas, and they include self-justification, frustration, personality, and levels of prejudice (Vincent 505). The article elaborates on three levels of prejudice, which include emotional, action- orientation, and cognitive.
It explains how they affect prejudiced behaviors. Vincent defines self-justification by stating that “it is denigrating a person or group to justify maltreatment of them” (Vincent 506). Vincent later addresses personality by defining it as the authoritarian development and aggression displacement as one becomes an adult. The prejudice segment is frustration, which entails scape-goating and relative deprivation. However, the sociology prejudice perspective, which makes the second part of the article, is explained in terms of economic competition and socialization. According to the author, socialization forms prejudice through culture, sub-culture, and attitudes and is transferred from one generation to another. On the other hand, economic competition brings prejudice through insecurity as a result of hostile behaviors. However, the author uses an educative tone to explain the root of prejudice in society.
Racism is the main social behavior presented in Vincent’s work and is common in modern-day society (Lindsey 232). Racism is believing that some characteristics and abilities belong to people of a particular race. It, therefore, holds that some of the racial groups are superior compared to others. However, racism and discrimination form a powerful tool that promotes fear and hatred during economic downturns, issuance of services, conflict, and war. In America, civil society grouping like Blacks Lives Matter has become vocal on the issue (Falcon 218).
Works Cited
Falcon, Sylvanna M. “The Globalization of Ferguson: Pedagogical Matter about Racial Violence.” Feminist Studies 41.1 (2015): 218- 221. Print.
Lindsey, Treva B. “Post- Ferguson: A “Herstorical” Approach to Black Violability.” Feminist Studies 41.1 (2015): 232- 237. Print.
Parrillo, Vincent. “Causes of Prejudice.” Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Colombo, Gary, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013. 504- 516. Print.