Introduction
In the United States, there is a tendency to refer people to majorities and minorities. It means that some of them are often viewed as a privileged group. Caucasians are commonly associated with such features as wealth, good education, and success. Despite many sociological and psychological studies on the topics of ethnic and racial identity, research on stereotypes about people remains limited since scholars are mainly interested in the minority groups. Thus, for instance, the Caucasians can be regarded as discoverers and adventurous people. This paper will discuss the reasons behind the formation of ethnic stereotypes, society’s perception of prejudiced positions, and participation in group activities as the way of overcoming stereotypes.
Reaction to Personal Identity
People use stereotypes and other forms of biases to make the information processing easier. Such categorization does not allow seeing the diversity within one group and similarities between different groups (Ridley and Jeffrey 141). However, when considering stereotypes in the context of Caucasians, it is considered that the attitude towards them is more respectful. The opinions of the other participants in the project did not significantly affect my perception of the situation, and I still hold the opinion on prevailing stereotypes.
The sense of great opportunities is constantly perceived due to prevailing social opinions concerning my personal identity. According to Jupp et al., the Caucasian race is sometimes treated as invisible normativity or a source of privilege (1158). The awareness of this fact affects behavior and makes it possible to take a broader view regarding opportunities. Despite Altman’s opinion regarding the fact that there are no strict criteria that separate Caucasians from other ethnicities and races, an opportunity to be related to this ethnical group helps me to behave more freely in communication with people who I do not know very well (56).
The example of white Muslims living in the UK and having respect among the local population confirms the made assumptions (Moosavi 1929). The sense of great opportunities is present, and the possibility of free choice inspires me.
In relation to the representatives of other groups, I felt less constrained. Keehn confirms that the practice of using the experience of another person as one’s own can be useful in studying the cultural characteristics of races and nationalities (387). When sharing roles with classmates and colleagues, it is possible to feel some new emotions and assess the limitations or, one the contrary, a wide range of opportunities. I can confirm that when I learned about the new identities of other people, my reactions were strange because it was hard to correlate a usual opinion with new impressions. It once again proves that such a practice can help significantly change the perception of the cultural identities of different races’ representatives if stereotypes and prejudices are not taken into account.
Conclusion
The participation in a group project aimed at the exchange of identities can be successful and produce an unexpected effect associated with stereotypes. An opportunity to be related to the majority provided a chance to look at the world from a different angle and feel more open in communication with others, including classmates, the instructor, and family members. The reaction to changes in others’ cultural identities proves the theory of the influence of stereotypes on the world’s perception. All the prejudices about the Caucasian race are partly true since unlimited opportunities open up.
Works Cited
Altman, Neil. “The Color of Whiteness and the Paradox of Diversity.” Relational Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations, edited by Judith B. Rosenberger, Springer, 2014, pp. 55-66.
Jupp, James C., et al. “Second-Wave White Teacher Identity Studies: A Review of White Teacher Identity Literatures from 2004 Through 2014.” Review of Educational Research, vol. 86, no. 4, 2016, pp. 1151-1191.
Keehn, Molly G. ““When You Tell a Personal Story, I Kind of Perk up a Little Bit More”: An Examination of Student Learning from Listening to Personal Stories in Two Social Diversity Courses.” Equity & Excellence in Education, vol. 48, no. 3, 2015, pp. 373-391.
Moosavi, Leon. “White Privilege in the Lives of Muslim Converts in Britain.” Ethnic and Racial Studies, vol. 38, no. 11, 2015, pp. 1918-1933.
Ridley, Charles R., and Christina E. Jeffrey. “Race and Ethnicity in the Education and Training of Professional Psychologists.” The Oxford Handbook of Education and Training in Professional Psychology, edited by W. Brad Johnson and Nadine Kaslow, Oxford University Press, 2014, pp. 437-251.