Understanding Race and Ethnicity

Society has primarily defined race by (a)   .

• By cultural practices
• By physical characteristics
• By language spoken
• By geographical origin

Race is best defined as:

• A biological reality

• A social construct based on physical traits

• The same as ethnicity

• Determined by one's nationality

Ethnicity is primarily considered to be:

• Based on biological differences

• Determined by skin color

• Shared cultural practices and heritage

• Defined by legal citizenship

Which of the following is an example of how racial categorization has changed over time?

• Irish immigrants were once considered non-white

• Native Americans have always been classified as a distinct race

• African Americans have always been considered a single racial group

• Asian Americans have never experienced changes in racial classification

In modern racial categorization:

• Race is considered a fixed, biological trait

• Mixed-race identities are less recognized

• There is greater acknowledgment of racial fluidity and complexity

• Racial categories have remained unchanged for the past century

Sociologically speaking, a minority group is one that:

• Is always numerically smaller than the majority

• Has less power and experiences discrimination

• Is defined solely by racial characteristics

• Always has a distinct language and culture

Code switching refers to:

• Changing one's racial identity

• Alternating between languages or dialects in different contexts

• Switching political affiliations

• Changing one's cultural practices

For Black Americans, code switching often involves:

• Speaking only in African languages

• Avoiding any use of English

• Alternating between Standard English and African American Vernacular English

• Using only formal language in all situations

Prejudice is best defined as:

• Treating someone unfairly based on group membership

• Laws that favor one group over another

• Preconceived opinions not based on reason or experience

• The act of segregating communities

Discrimination differs from prejudice in that it involves:

• Only thoughts and feelings

• Actions that treat people unfairly based on group membership

• Positive preferential treatment

• Changing one's opinions about a group