Racial stigmas are generalizations placed on individuals and groups based on their race. An example of this could be a store clerk working the evening shift when a group of African American teenagers walk in; the clerk gets scared and sees them as threatening based off their skin color. The stigma that all African American teenagers are trouble and up to no good. This thought is not factual, but based off a belief and stigma of a certain race. Racial stereotyping is a belief about an individual or group of individuals; the thought that each member of a certain race would possess the same characteristics. These are mental views people hold of others. An example of this could be that white people are no good at basketball because they’re known to not be able to jump. This is not true about only white individuals but could be true for any individual regardless of their race.

Krisy

Marger, M. N. (2014). Login: GCU WebViewer. Login | GCU WebViewer. https://viewer.gcu.edu/ZBDWFF.

Dr. Chapman and Class,

From my research what I understand is that racial stigma happens because human behavior is determined not only by material and institutional structures but also because of what those structures are understood to signify (Loury & Loury, 2003). In other words, racial stigma is brought about what others’ bone structure, skin color, eye color, tattoos, clothing one wears, and the various ways that what a person looks like leads to racial stigma. For example, as a middle-aged, bald, tattooed, Hispanic male I have noticed people steer away from me and go out of their way to ignore me. On the other hand, police officers dealing with much crime and violence have to make decisions quickly and at times these decisions are made through racial stigma.

Very similar, yet different, is racial stereotyping where people group others by obvious physical structures and make conclusions based on their physical appearance with others thus expecting them to behave as others of the same physical traits due to previous observations. For example, I see tagging all around San Diego County, and with my prior knowledge as a youth, I would assume that those putting graffiti on the wall are younger Hispanic males from the community. This conclusion is made due to my stereotyping as my previous knowledge of those who tag on walls being made up of young Hispanic males in the urban community. Make sense? This has been a tough question and thoughts are extremely welcome?

Blessings,

Francisco

References,

Loury, G. C., & LOURY, G. C. (2003). The anatomy of racial inequality. ProQuest Ebook Central http://ebookcentral.proquest.com.lopes.idm.oclc.org