Understanding Prejudice and Discrimination

This assignment delves into the concepts of prejudice and discrimination through provided examples. Students are tasked with evaluating these examples, understanding the perpetrators' justifications, and recognizing the inherent wrongfulness of such actions. The assignment emphasizes the importance of challenging prejudiced behavior and exploring bystander intervention techniques to combat societal issues.

101557
The Individual in Society
Workbook
Topic3
Prejudice & Discrimination
Written &compiled by Dr Tim Griffin
Contributions by Fiona Webber
School of Social Sciences & Psychology

We expect you to prepare for Tutorial 3 by completing this workbook. Prepared students are more
engaged than unprepared students, contribute more to informed discussions and learn more.
The benefit of preparation and being informed only accrues if you do your own work. Studying in
groups is OK, but not doing the work is not OK.
It is sometimes tempting to piggyback on the work of others, especially if there are marks at stake.
We therefore require you to make the following declaration for each tutorial:
I declare that I have not copied or received the work of another student (or other
students) to complete the preparatory exercises in this Tutorial Workbook.
Tick the box (or not) with a clear conscience
(If you can’t tick the box with a clear conscience your Workbook will not get marked.)
You can earn marks for this Workbook, if you complete it before Tutorial 3.
The workbooks are for preparation for tutorials and are not separate from tutorials.
You must, therefore, attend Tutorial 3 to get marks for this Workbook.
You can show evidence of Workbook of completion in one of three ways:
1) Print them out and complete them by hand;
2) Complete them on your computer and print them out for the tutorial;
3) Complete them on your computer and bring your computer to the tutorial (no need to print
them).
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Online students must complete the Workbook as a word document and submit it to vUWS.
Instructions on how to do this are in the online section of vUWS.
Completing this Workbook is preparation for your second written assignment –
Reflection (Learning Journal) 2.

Topic 3: Prejudice and Discrimination
Sub-topics of Prejudice and Discrimination
1. Types of prejudice
2. Social identity: in-groups and out-groups
3. Working to reduce prejudice
You will choose one sub-topic from this topic for your Learning Journal.
You do not need to do this until you have explored all of these sub-topics.
These sub-topics are covered in your textbook:
Chapter 6: Prejudice: Disliking others
Chapter 9: Helping and prosocial behaviour
(particularly ‘bystander effects’ – 3e pp. 343 – 350; 2e 330 – 339; 1e 325 – 335).
These sub-topics are also covered in Lecture Topic 7 – Prejudice and Discrimination.
To complete this Workbook and participate in the tutorial you will need to refer to the following:
 Learning Guide;
 Textbook;
 Lecture on Prejudice and Discrimination;
 Readings linked from this Workbook.
Relevant readings for these sub-topics are referenced under each sub-topic.
Important Note about Self-Disclosure
Tutorials 2, 3 and 4 contain some inventories (i.e. surveys or quizzes) that ask you questions about yourself
(e.g. your self-esteem). These inventories yield scores, and interpretations of those scores.
You are not required to reveal your scores or to talk about them in tutorials if you do not want to. You may
feel more comfortable talking about the scores in a more abstract way (e.g. people with high or low self-
esteem), which is perfectly okay.
Tutorials also cover sensitive topics such as prejudice and discrimination and students are likely to feel strongly
about some of the issues raised.
Students are to show each other respect when discussing sensitive topics in class or online.
If any of the inventories, or your scores or discussions cause you concern, you may wish to contact student
support counselling services on: 9852 5199, or call lifeline on: 131114 or beyond Blue on: 1300224636.
Information about the University Counselling Service can be found at:
https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/currentstudents/current_students/services_and_facilities/counselling_services
(Dr) Tim Griffin – Unit Coordinator
Note that while this workbook provides structure for your preparation and learning, your tutor may not cover
all exercises or discussions contained in this workbook. Tutorial content will depend on available time and
student engagement with particular sub-topics and mode of study (i.e. on-campus or online).
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Reflection(Learning Journal) 2
Write down any questions you want to ask about Reflection: Learning Journal 2.
Have your questions been already answered in the vUWS Discussion Forum on Reflection (Learning
Journal) 2? Can you find answers in the Learning Guide?
Prejudice & Discrimination – Introduction
This section is to start your thinking about prejudice and discrimination.
It is part of your tutorial preparation, so this section should also be completed prior to your tutorial.
This section is not a sub-topic, so should not be used as such in your Reflection (Learning Journal) 2.
The sub-topics for this tutorial are listed on the previous page.
Complete the following (you can use the lecture on Prejudice & Discrimination for this):
Attitude is to behaviour as is to
Briefly, what does this mean?
In the space below, provide brief definitions of:
Stereotype:
Prejudice:
Discrimination:
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Think of some examples of stereotypes, e.g. “women are not good drivers”, “men can’t cook”, “and
gaymen have fabulous dress sense” and write them in the space below.
Have you ever been judged with a stereotype? If so, how did it feel?
This section is optional – you do not have to complete it prior to your tutorial.
It is for interested students.
Read the article by Pedersen, Clarke, Dudgeon, and Griffiths (2005).
Pedersen, A., Clarke, S., Dudgeon, P. & Griffiths, B. (2005). Attitudes towards Indigenous Australians
and asylum seekers: The role of false beliefs and other social-psychological variables.
Australian Psychologist, 40(3), 170-178. doi:10.1080/00050060500243483
Pedersen, A, Clarke, S, Dudgeon, P & Griffiths, B 2005, ‘Attitudes towards Indigenous Australians and
asylum seekers: The role of false beliefs and other social-psychological variables’, Australian
Psychologist, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 170-178, viewed 13 November 2013, Wiley Online Library,
DOI10.1080/00050060500243483.
You can find the article here:
http://iaha.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/000199_attitudetowardsindaus.pdf
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Although this article was published in 2005 and reflects the policies of the Howard Government,
‘asylum seekers’ remains a hot political topic. Many of you would have seen the Go Back to Where
You Came From program on SBS and other similar programs and have followed the political debates
and discussions.
It is still the best Australian article on how ‘false beliefs influence prejudice.
The authors state that the foundation of prejudice is ‘false beliefs’ and give some examples. Write
down some false beliefs about asylum seekers. You may use the examples given by Pedersen et al.
(2005), or write down others that you know.
What is ‘institutional racism’ (refer to your textbook or lecture 7)
Give an example of institutional racism.
Do you think that Australia is a tolerant multicultural society?
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Many of you have heard about ‘fake news’ or ‘alternative facts’. As we know, attitudes such as
prejudice are based on knowledge or beliefs. How do you think ‘fake news’ contributes to ‘false
beliefs’ and prejudice? Can you think of an example?
“Fake news” or yellow journalism contributes much to the creation of false beliefs as well as
prejudices (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017). They influence the thought process of the individuals and
many people often take the various fake news for reality itself. Therefore, they contribute to the
process of blurring the line between reality and the un-real (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017). It is very
difficult to distinguish between the two and therefore many people get foxed by them. Some of the
fake news, appear so real that people even start acting on them and get biased the news which are
actually genuine or real. A common example of this is the news about Drew Doughty of LA Kings,
who was recently reported by a fake ESPN site, to have near-magic powers (Cain, 2018).
End of optional section.
Sub-topic 1:Types of prejudice
Readings for subtopic 1
Myers & Zinkiewicz (2016), Myers (2013), or Myers (2010). The pages for each of the sections in this
sub-topic are given in the section.
(This is from your textbook.)
Four types of prejudice
List four types of prejudice (e.g. sexism – you can even use this one).
1. Sexism, is one of the most common aspects on the basis of which individuals face prejudice in
society. For example, traditionally women are considered as the weaker sex and therefore they are
barred from jobs or opportunities, which require hard labour or the display of physical strength.
2.Some people face prejudice even on the basis of their sexual orientation.It is seen that the
members of the gay community do not get equal job as well as educational opportunities as
compared to the straight people.
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3. The colour of the skin is another factor, on the basis of which, people commonly face
discrimination. It is a common concept that the white skinned people are the only descendents of
the pure Aryan race. Therefore, it is a commonly experienced phenomenon that the coloured people
do not get the same amount of opportunities as the people with white skin get.
4. Nationality is another factor, on the basis of which, the people face discrimination. It is a
commonly observed phenomenon that the people from the third world and specially the Muslim
countries faced more amount of prejudice than the people from the first world countries. Many
countries have more stricter visa rules as well as strict checking guidelines for the people belonging
to the third world and specially the Muslim countries.
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Prejudice on the basis of sexual orientation
Read Myers & Zinkiewicz (2016, p. 192), Myers (2013, p. 180), or Myers (2010, pp. 174).
Your sexual orientation is none of our concern and you may decide to answer the questions below or
not. The point is that questions that might be asked (or thought) of gay, lesbian, transgender or
bisexual people to justify their sexual orientation are rarely asked of heterosexual people. These are
questions for heterosexual people, designed to raise awareness of the prejudices surrounding sexual
orientation.
1. What do you think caused your heterosexuality?
2. When and how did you first decide you were heterosexual?
3. Is it possible that your heterosexuality is just a phase you may grow out of?
4. Is it possible that your heterosexuality stems from a fear of others of the same sex?
5. If you have never slept with a member of your own sex, is it possible that you might be gay if
you tried it?
6. If heterosexuality is normal, why are so many mental patients heterosexual?
7. Why do you heterosexual people try to seduce others into your lifestyle?
8. Why do you flaunt your heterosexuality? Can't you just be who you are and keep it quiet?
9. The great majority of child molesters are heterosexual. Do you consider it safe to expose
your children to heterosexual teachers?
10. With all the societal support that marriage receives, the divorce rate is spiralling. Why are
there so few stable relationships among heterosexual people?
11. Why are heterosexual people so promiscuous?
12. Would you want your children to be heterosexual, knowing the problems they would face,
such as heartbreak, disease, and divorce?
You can find out more about this example at:
http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=222&Itemid=129
What do these questions tell you about prejudice on the basis of sexual orientation?
(You could think about social assumptions about what is ‘normal’.)
Normalcy is just a concept innovated by people to maintain the sexual power balance in the society.
William Shakespeare wrote in the sonnet number 144,”One’s angel is another’s hell”. Therefore, it
can be said that the concept of “normal” is too broad as well as stereotyped. People are often
categorised on the basis of their sexual preferences ("advocatesforyouth.org", 2018). However, it is
interesting to note that the heterosexual people upon the homosexuals as abnormal and vice versa.
Therefore, it can be safely concluded that the concept of normalcy is just a facade. The above
provided questions clearly indicate the prejudice faced by the people who dare to drift away from
the line of “normalcy” and the resultant stigma as well as lack of opportunities faced by them. It is to
be noted that in this world normalcy means living by the age-established rules like having a good
paying job, if you are a guy then you should prefer a girl and vice versa and various other things.
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However, the changing status quo of the world clearly indicates that it is just not enough to hold on
to the traditional rules of normalcy. It is time that the society should broad its outlook and consider
the people belonging on the other side of the line of “normalcy” as normal itself.
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Gender prejudice
Read Myers & Zinkiewicz (2016, pp. 199-201), Myers (2013, pp.188-191), or Myers (2010, pp. 181-
184).
Ambivalent Sexism Scale
Myers & Zinkiewicz (2016, p. 200) state that “… people don’t respond to women in the same gut-
level negative emotions as they do other certain groups. Most people like women more than men.”
[In other text book editions, see Myers (2013, p. 189) or Myers (2010, p. 182).]
However, gender attitudes are often ambivalent. Ambivalent sexism is composed of both a ‘hostile’
and ‘benevolent’ prejudice toward women. Hostile sexism is an antagonistic attitude toward women,
who are sometimes viewed as trying to control men through feminist ideology or sexual seduction.
Benevolent sexism is a chivalrous attitude toward women that feels favourable but is actually sexist
because it casts women as weak creatures in need of men's protection.
Read about and complete the Ambivalent Sexism Scale (suitable for all genders to complete) at:
http://www.understandingprejudice.org/asi/
You can find more information about the Ambivalent Sexism Scale and other measures of prejudice
at:
http://www.understandingprejudice.org/asi/faq.htm
Now that you have done the questionnaire, did it tell you anything you didn’t know? The online
questionnaire allows you to compare your results with those of others. Reflect on how you compare
on the two scales (hostile and benevolent). You can also do comparisons with other countries –
what did you discover? (If you are good at ‘snipping’ or cutting and pasting, you could insert your
results here.)
The result of the online survey told me that I was a benevolent kind of person and lesser on the side
of hostility ("advocatesforyouth.org", 2018). The result of the survey did not provide me with any
new kind of information ("advocatesforyouth.org", 2018). The comparison of the result with the
people of United States revealed the fact the compared to the people of United States, I was more
hostile on the Ambivalent Sexism Scale.
Have you experienced or seen any behaviours that could be classed as ambivalent or benevolent
sexism? Describe them here. This may form the basis for a discussion in your group forum.
There is no particular incident related to me that I would call as an example of hostile sexism.
However, I would like to mention an incident, which now I think might be an example of hostile
sexism. A week ago, while going to school, I noticed that a man was trying to be over-chivalrous. The
woman kept on saying that she did not require his help and she can manage on her own but the man
kept on saying that it was his duty as a man to help a woman. At that point of time, I thought that it
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was completely natural, however, now when I look upon the incident in the light of the knowledge
about the concept of “hostile sexism”, I would say that the man by trying to help the woman was
just trying to assert his masculinity and suppress her femininity.
Sub-topic 2:Social Identity: In-groups and Out-groups
Readings for subtopic 2
Myers and Zinkiewicz (2016, pp. 209-217), Myers (2013, pp. 198-207) or Myers (2010, pp. 191-201);
Elder (2015)
To reference Elder (2015):
Harvard referencing style
Elder, J 2015, ‘United Patriots Front and No Room for Racism clash in central Melbourne’ The Age:
Victoria, November 28, viewed [insert the date you accessed the link here, e.g., 21 February 2016], <
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/united-patriots-front-and-no-room-for-racism-clash-in-central-
melbourne-20151128-glaebb.html>.
APA referencing style
Elder, J. (2015, November 28). United Patriots Front and No Room for Racism clash in central
Melbourne. The Age: Victoria. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/united-
patriots-front-and-no-room-for-racism-clash-in-central-melbourne-20151128-glaebb.html
Definitions
Provide definitions, using your own words as much as possible, for the terms below. Writing
definitions in your own words is practice in paraphrasing: an essential skill for university writing.
Social Identity “Social Identity”, can be defined, as the concept by means of which the
various entities within a particular group are able to identify themselves
within the group through their perceived notions of identity within the
group (Jenkins, 2014). In the words of Tajfel (1979), the concept of social
identity provides the members of the group with various important
features like notions of pride as well as self-esteem.
In-group
The concept of in-group in the genre of sociology as well as social
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psychology can be defined as the social group to which an individual or a
person feels psychologically connected or identifies himself as a member
of that group (Jenkins, 2014). The concept was made popular by Henri
Tajfel and is often considered to be an important part of the social
identity theory (Jenkins, 2014).
Out-group An out-group can be defined as the group with which an individual or a
person do not feel connected with or does not identifies himself or
herself psychologically as a member of that group(Jenkins, 2014).
In-group bias “In-group bias” can be defined as the bias which the members of a group
face from the colleagues or other members of the same group (Jenkins,
2014). The bias can be a result of various factors like sex, sexual
orientation, race, ethnicity and various other factors.
Out-group
homogeneity
effect
The concept of out-group homogeneity, can be defined, as the process or
the effect by means of which the members of an out-group feel that their
perceptions as well as ideas are more dissimilar to the other members of
the out-group than with the members of the in-group (Jenkins, 2014). In
other words, the effect, can also be defined, as the process by means of
which the members feel that they are more diverse in comparison to the
members to the in-group.
Use the terms above to discuss the following topicsin tutorials. Write down any ideas or examples
that relate to your experiences, to create notes for your Reflection (Learning Journal) 2.
In your examples, you may use actions by your own group, or actions of members of another group
towards yours. You may also use examples from recent social events that you have read about or
seen in the media, in addition to or instead of your own experience, such as clashes between racist
and anti-racist groups as described by Elder (2015). The link to the Elder article is given in the
reference, shown below in both APA and Western Sydney University Harvard styles.
Which of your ‘in-groups’is or are the most important to your social identity, and why?
I would like here to cite our own class as the example of the “in-group”, where the concept of
diversity as well as likeness among the various students or social entities is most prominently visible.
I would like to cite the examples of our general disagreements over several points whenever we
have to work in groups or perform any activity as a single entity. During such instances, I think all the
important aspects of the process of in-grouping comes out most prominently to the forefront.
However, I would like to comment that inspite of our general disagreements of opinions each one of
us feels psychologically connected with one another and I would also like to say that the group is
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what provides us with our social identity. Also, each one of us feels special pride in part of this group
as it contributes to our social identity.
Have you seen or experienced any in-group bias?Was this towardsone of your groups, or to another
group? What was it, and what happened?
I would say that as such there have not been any major instances of in-group bias in the group.
However, during the initial days it was seen that the students were very reserved and did not
interact with each other. A particular instance of this was the fact that the boys of the class initially
did not interact much with the girls of the group and vice versa. However, with the passage of time
and with the active support of our teachers this bias was overcome and I proudly say at this point
that presently there are no major bias that our group faces.
Have you seen or experienced any examples of the ‘outgroup homogeneity effect’? What were they
and what happened?
There are no particular instances of “out-group homogeneity effect” in the group. However, during
the initial days, it was seen that the students as they were not much familiar with each other felt
that they were diverse in nature from each other and not at all alike. It was however, seen that with
the passage of time as well as the active support of our teachers this effect was overcome and the
students got to know each other in a more better way they were able to feel psychologically a part
of the in-group.
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Were there any prejudice or discrimination associated with any of your examples? If so, what was it,
and why did it happen?
The only prejudice or discrimination, which was associated with the example provided was the bias
on the basis of gender which was initially very prevalent in the group. However, this was in the initial
days and with the passage of time as well as the active help of the teachers this was overcome. The
various activities as well as team tasks also helped in overcoming this discrimination.
Sub-topic 3: Working to reduce prejudice
Readings for sub-topic 3
The readings you will use inthis subtopic are Nelson, Dunn and Paradies (2011), Plous (2000) and
Western Sydney University (n.d.). Referencing format information is below.
Harvard referencing format
Nelson, JK, Dunn, KM & Paradies, Y 2011, ‘Bystander anti-racism: a review of the literature’, Analyses
of Social Issues and Public Policy, vol. 11, no. 1 , pp. 263-284, viewed [insert the date you accessed
the link here, e.g., 21 February 2016], Wiley Online Library, DOI10.1111/j.1530-2415.2011.01274.x.
Plous, S 2000,‘Responding to overt displays of prejudice: a role-playing exercise’,Teaching
Psychology,vol. 27, no. 3, pp.198-200.
Western Sydney University n.d., Bystander anti-racism project, viewed [insert the date you accessed
the link here, e.g., 21 February 2016],
<http://westernsydney.edu.au/challengingracism/challenging_racism_project/our_research/
bystander_anti-racism>.
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APA referencing format
Nelson, J. K., Dunn, K. M. & Paradies, Y. (2011). Bystander anti-racism: A review of the literature.
Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 11(1), 263-284. doi:10.1111/j.1530-
2415.2011.01274.x
Plous, S. (2000). Responding to overt displays of prejudice: A role-playing exercise. Teaching
Psychology, 27(3),198-200.
Western Sydney University. (n.d.). Bystander anti-racism project. Retrieved from
http://westernsydney.edu.au/challengingracism/challenging_racism_project/
our_research/bystander_anti-racism
Bystander anti-racism
Bystander effects and racism – survey
Have you recently observed racism in your social world?
If so, go to the survey on bystander effects and racism to record your responses and reflections.
https://uwsssap.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_9sfMDZnDziceoux
(if the link does not work for you, copy and paste it into your browser)
After you have read the information about the study you will be asked on the second page whether
you consent to your responses being used for research purposes. You can say ‘no’ here if you wish
and your responses will not be used for research, but you can continue with the survey.
When you have completed the survey, a page will come up showing your responses for each
question. In the right hand corner of the screen is a PDF button to create a PDF of your responses –
save it and email it to yourself. You can use this PDF to refer to for your Learning Journal if you
chose this aspect.
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Definition of bystander anti-racism
Write down a definition of bystander anti-racism from Nelson, Dunn and Paradies (2011). Use your
own words to write the definition (‘paraphrase’: writing information in your own words).
Bystander anti-racism, can be defined, as the actions or the steps taken by the individuals or social
groups as a whole to reduce or minimise the acts of discrimination as well as racism prevalent in the
society (Nelson, Dunn & Paradies, 2011). This steps or actions can be in response to the active racism
experienced by an individual or a member of a community or the interpersonal acts against the
entire community itself. The primary aim or the motive of the process is to minimise or curtail the
amount of unjust discrimination faced by the innocent people or the members of a particular
community (Nelson, Dunn & Paradies, 2011).
Videos of racism
Imagine you are travelling home from work or uni and you overhear a fellow passenger racially
abusing another commuter. This happens relatively frequently and incidents are increasingly being
captured on mobile phones and posted to social media.
Heidi, who filmed an incident of racism on public transport, said when she and another passenger
spoke up, “We didn’t receive any support from the other passengers. Some told us to sit back down
and be quiet and everyone just looked really blasé. No one did anything about it”. See this link for
video and an article about the incident filmed by Heidi: http://www.smh.co m.au/nsw/racist-rant-
tourists-abused-on-sydney-bus-20130401-2h2ig.html
In a different incident, some of the passengers spoke up, telling the lady to “shut up”, and banding
together to take a stand against the racism. This link shows an article about and video of the
incident: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/we-speak-english-in-this-country-woman-films-racial-tirade-
on-sydney-train-20151218-glr6kj.html
Obstacles and enablers for bystander anti-racism
Click the following link to access the Nelson, Dunn & Paradies (2011) journal article: (login
required)http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/doi/10.1111/j.1530-
2415.2011.01274.x/epdf
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Tip: When looking in a reading for specific information, scan the headings to help you find the
relevant section. Then, look for the topic sentences (first sentence in each paragraph) to find the
main idea of each paragraph. When you find relevant information, you can read and note-take
as much of the information as you need for your purpose.

Nelson, Dunn and Paradies (2011) discuss obstacles and enablers for bystander anti-racism action.
Below, write obstacles and enablers that they have identified.
Obstacles Social identity forms an important obstacle to the process of bystander anti-racism. It is
often seen that people take the stand against racism if the victim involved is a member of the same
community (Nelson, Dunn & Paradies, 2011). Therefore, it is often seen, that if the victim of racism is
a black or a coloured person, the white people seldom take a stand to defend them and vice
versa(Nelson, Dunn & Paradies, 2011). Another important obstacle influencing the process of
bystander anti-racism is the concept of personal risk or safety that is involved in the process (Nelson,
Dunn & Paradies, 2011). It is often seen that the people who take a stand against the instances of
such racist violence end up incurring a considerable amount of violence on themselves as well. It is
often seen, that many people consider the participation in such acts can jeopardise their overall
relations with the members of the community, which is inflicting the violence on the victim.
Enablers The primary enabler of the process of bystander anti-racism can be impartation of
knowledge as well as information about the concepts of racism and the various rules which prohibits
them (Nelson, Dunn & Paradies, 2011). The people can also be provided with adequate amount of
information about the damage done by the process of racism and its related violence. The active
intervention of the people and the setting up of groups as well as committees can also help in the
process (Nelson, Dunn & Paradies, 2011). The conduct of various cross-cultural events wherein
members from different communities as well as ethical groups can participate can also help in the
process.
The information you have written above is description of factors that are related to whether or not
bystanders will intervene when they see racism. They have been divided into the categories of
‘obstacles’ and ‘enablers’.
Use the next table to analyse the two example videos, linked earlier in this section, for obstacles and
enablers, using the information from Nelson, Dunn and Paradies (2011) that you wrote above. How
did what you wrote earlier about obstacles and enablers compare with what you have written
below?
Situation Obstacles and enablers in the situation
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Video: racist behaviour on bus,
most bystanders did not take
action
The primary obstacle in this case was that the Australian
people did not consider themselves as a member of the social
group inhabited by the Asian tourists who were on the bus.
Another factor could be the personal risk factor, which was
involved in the process. Had the other people in the bus
intervened in the process they would have exposed
themselves to the same kind of attack from the racists.
The process, could have been stopped had the people been
made aware of the dangers, which the process of racism
entailed and the damage that their actions would incur in
regards to the tourism industry of the country.
Video: racist behaviour on train,
several bystanders did take
action
The primary obstacle in the process again could be said to be
the factor of social identity, which the passengers on the train
felt with each other. It is to be noted, that many people on the
train considered that their intervention to prevent the act
would have jeopardised their relations with the other
members of the group. The personal risk was another factor,
which influenced the people.
The enablers of the process of bystander anti-racism for the
incident can be said to the fact that the people were not
provided enough information about the damage that could be
caused by the process of racism as well as the rules and
regulations which prohibit the process.
We could take the same ‘obstacles’ and ‘enablers’ factors for bystander anti-racism action and
classify them into different categories. Classifying information into categories is a form of analysis.
We could, for example, work out which of the factors are more related to the attributes of the
bystander (for example, ‘knowledge of what constitutes racism’, or ‘lack of knowledge about how to
intervene’), or more related to the specific situation, including who the bystander is with, or their
relationship to the perpetrator of the racism (for example, ‘impression management, preserving
interpersonal relations’, or ‘fear of violence or vilification, being targeted by perpetrator’. We could
also look at social factors: for example, social norms about racism.
Analyse the information you already wrote describing obstacles and enablers of bystander action
for factors more related to the bystander and factors more related to the situation (highlight each
category in a different colour).
You can see that many factors related to bystander attributes describe skills and knowledge,
including what racism is, the harm it can do, and what can be done to intervene. One of the
purposes of this sub-topic is to give you greater skills and knowledge so that you feel empowered to
intervene if you see racism.
We will return to factors related to the situation shortly.
101557 The Individual in Society Tutorial 3 Workbook - Prejudice and Discrimination page 19

Responses to racism
On the next page, you will see a table with three columns. For the first column, look in Nelson, Dunn
and Paradies (2011) to find and list the possible responses to racism from the A.R.T. program. The
other two columns have been filled out for you, copied from their sources. Lists like these are
examples of descriptive writing about information. They don’t tell you anything more, like how or
when to use the responses. It’s up to you to analyse which of these responses would be appropriate
in different situations.
101557 The Individual in Society Tutorial 3 Workbook - Prejudice and Discrimination page 20

A. Responses to racism from
Nelson, Dunn and Paradies
(2011, p. ……11…… )
Above, write the page number
where you found the responses
B. Responses to racism from
Plous (2000, p. 199)
C. Responses to racism from
Western Sydney University
(n.d.)
Possible responses listed by
the Anti-racism Response
Training(A.R.T.) program (9
responses):
A1. Disagreement or active
intervention on the part of the
people present there.
A2. Empathic confrontation on
the part of the people present
out there.
A3. Asking the perpetrator to
explain themselves and resolve
the matter in a humanistic
manner.
A4. Making the perpetrators
aware that the thing which
they are doing is prohibited by
the law and might incur legal
action against them.
A5. Taking a strong stand
against such people by taking a
firm stand and taking the help
of the legal authorities.
A6. Active support of the
victim and letting the
B1. Use questions such as
"Why do you say that?" and
"Do you feel that way about
every person in that group?"
As Fisher and Ury (1983) wrote
with respect to negotiation,
"Statements generate
resistance, whereas questions
generate answers ....
Questions offer .... no target to
strike at, no position to attack"
(p. 117).
B2. Arouse cognitive
dissonance in the prejudiced
speaker by priming the
speaker's egalitarian self-
image. An example of this
strategy would be a response
such as "I'm surprised to hear
you say that, because I've
always thought of you as
someone who is very open-
minded."
B3. Tell the other person how
you feel (e.g., "It makes me
uncomfortable to hear that")
rather than how to behave
(e.g., "You shouldn't say that").
The latter statement can be
disputed, but the former
cannot.
B4. Approach the other person
with respect rather than self-
righteous indignation. Many
prejudiced comments are
misguided attempts at humor
by speakers who do not view
themselves as prejudiced;
consequently, an effort to
convince them not to be
C1. Confronting or disagreeing
with the perpetrator
C2. Calling it "racism" or
"discrimination" (if it is safe or
productive to do so)
C3. Interrupting or distracting
perpetrator
C4. Comforting the person(s)
targeted
C5. Expressing upset feelings
C6. Seeking assistance from
friend, teacher, manager,
coach etc.
C7. Reporting the incident to
authorities
101557 The Individual in Society Tutorial 3 Workbook - Prejudice and Discrimination page 21

perpetrator know that what
they are doing is morally as
well as legally wrong.
A7. Mobilizing support from
the neighbouring people in the
area can also be helpful.
A8. The people can question
the validity of the action on
the part of the perpetrator and
taking legal aid if there is any
offense on the part of the
victim.
A9.Often it is seen that the
people do not know what they
are doing is legally wrong so
informing the perpetrators
that racism is prohibited by
the constitutions of all the
countries and they might incur
legal action can also help in
the process.
prejudiced is likely to fail.
You may see racism in a range of different situations, and with a range of obstacles and enablers to
taking action.
Use the situational obstacles and enablers you identified earlier to suggest some situations that
involve different mixes of factors. For example, in some situations, maintaining a good relationship
with the person who does the racist behaviour is important, and in others, it may be unimportant.
Some targets of racism may need greater support than others. Also, some situations are safe to take
overt action in, while others may be risky.
Using the lists of responses to racism above, use the table below to write some possible situations,
situational obstacles and enablers, and suggested effective bystander action.You could use a
situation you have seen or experienced, or use the videos on theWestern Sydney University (n.d.)
‘Bystander anti-racism project’ page to help:
101557 The Individual in Society Tutorial 3 Workbook - Prejudice and Discrimination page 22

http://westernsydney.edu.au/challengingracism/challenging_racism_project/our_research/
bystander_anti-racism
Situation Obstacles and enablers Suggested bystander action
A black man was not
allowed by the fellow
white passengers to
sit in an empty seat in
a train.
The primary obstacle might have
been the active support of the
fellow travellers towards the black
man. The act of confronting the
perpetrator by the fellow travellers
could also have been helpful.
The primary enabler was the lack of
knowledge about the legislation
related to racism and the violent
effects of racism.
The fellow traveller could have
intervened and saves the victim. The
perpetrators could have been asked
to justify his action.
A white cab driver
refused to take a
black passenger
although the cab was
not occupied by a
passenger.
The primary obstacle to the process
could have the social identity, which
the surrounding people felt with the
white cab driver. Another obstacle
could have been the personal risk
factor.
The primary enabler of the act could
have the lack of knowledge of the
cab driver about the legislations
related to the process of racism as
well as the harmful effects of the
machinery of racism.
Active intervention of the
neighbouring people could have
helped the victim. The driver should
have been made aware of the
various legislations related to
racism.
An Asian woman was
not allowed to dine a
diner.
The primary obstacle to the process
was the factor of social identity,
which the surrounding people felt
with the owner of the diner. Also,
the personal risk factor needs to be
taken into consideration.
The active intervention of the part
of the fellow diners could have
saved the situation.The fellow
diners could have made the
perpetrator aware of the laws
related to racism.
As you suggest bystander actions for a situation, you should be using more than one of the
responses to racism lists. Combining ideas from more than one source is an example of synthesis.
The ideas are grouped together because they have a relationship. For example, they may all be
actions suitable for responding to racism when you want to maintain a relationship with the person
who has done the racist behaviour. Sometimes, the ideas will be different, but have something in
common. Sometimes, they are the same idea stated in different sources, written in different words.
Always reference the source that the idea came from. If the ideas are the same, write the idea in
your own words, and reference both the sources.
Here is an example, referenced in Harvard style (note that references are in alphabetical order):
An effective response to a racist act by someone you want to maintain a relationship with can be to
express your emotional response to the racism (Nelson, Dunn & Paradies 2011; Plous 2000; Western
Sydney University n.d.).
101557 The Individual in Society Tutorial 3 Workbook - Prejudice and Discrimination page 23

This section is optional – you do not have to complete it prior to your tutorial.
It is for interested students.
As this section is related to Sub-topic 3, if you choose this sub-topic, you may refer to it in your
Learning Journal.
The psycho-logical approach
Lecture topic 7.7 mentions the ‘psycho-logical approach’ (Plous, 2000) to addressing prejudice. As
with any attitude, direct confrontation is more likely to cement a position rather than change it.
The psycho-logical approach has found to be effective at moderating prejudice (Lawson, McDonough
& Bodle, 2010)1.
How do we interact with a prejudiced person in a reasonable manner, taking a psycho-logical
approach, rather than a logical approach? A logical approach may win a debate, but it may not
change a person’s attitudes. A psycho-logical approach works at:
 Humanising the victims of prejudice
 Avoiding arguments that provoke reactivity
 Finding common ground and enlarging upon it
 Planting a seed rather than needing instant resolution
 Considering why the comment was made -- not just whether it's true
 Thinking about what has worked to change one's own mind, and using that approach
1 Lawson, T. J., McDonough, T. A., & Bodle, J. H. (2010). Confronting prejudiced comments: Effectiveness
of a role-playing exercise. Teaching of Psychology, 37(4)257-261.
101557 The Individual in Society Tutorial 3 Workbook - Prejudice and Discrimination page 24

Have a look at the four strategies listed on page 199 of the article linked below.
Do you think you could put these into practice? Why or why not?
The strategies could be put into practise if all the members of the community feel that it is their
responsibility to prevent the act. The people should take a humanistic approach and help the victims
of such cases and take strong actions the perpetrators (Lawson, McDonough & Bodle, 2010). The
entire community should come together to help the fight against such injustices and take strict
action the perpetrators of such actions.
Plous, S. (2000). Responding to overt displays of prejudice: A role-playing exercise. Teaching
Psychology, 27, (3),198 – 200.
http://www.understandingprejudice.org/pdf/roleplay.pdf?logged=true
The end of the optional section.
101557 The Individual in Society Tutorial 3 Workbook - Prejudice and Discrimination page 25

Application and Limitations
Refer to the Marking Sheet for Reflection (Learning Journal) 2 in Workbook 2. There is a criterion for
“Relevance to social world” which requires you to apply what you have learned to your social world.
Well-considered responses to this will include limitations of the application to your social world.
Pick one of the subtopics from this Workbook.
Pick an experience or real-life example that is relevant to the subtopic (it may be one that is shared
by the whole class). Explain how it is relevant to your social world.
The concept of prejudice is very much relevant to the present social world. It is seen that people face
prejudice in the society based on sex, sexual orientation, skin colour, ethnicity and various other
factors (Plous, 2000). The incidence of the prejudice faced by the Asian tourists in an Australian is an
example of such an instance. The people should not be judged on the basis of these factors and the
various governmental as well as private organisations should promote the concept of fratenity
among the citizens of the world.
Describe a limitation of the example. For instance, where there are limits to how good an example it
is of the concepts covered in this tutorial. Or where there are aspects of the example, which the
concepts cannot explain.
A limitation of the example is the fact that is describes racism in a bus faced by some Asian tourism,
which was later on explained by the perpetrators as an argument with the tourists on the basis of
some argument. However, it should be noted that the such perpetrators should not get away with
such acts as it leads them to more such acts which is actually in-human.
References
advocatesforyouth.org. (2018). Advocatesforyouth.org. Retrieved 23 January 2018, from
http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=222&Itemid=129
101557 The Individual in Society Tutorial 3 Workbook - Prejudice and Discrimination page 26

Allcott, H., & Gentzkow, M. (2017). Social media and fake news in the 2016 election (No. w23089).
National Bureau of Economic Research.
Cain, P. (2018). Story on faked ESPN site claims supplement gives LA Kings’ Drew Doughty near-magic
powers. Global News. Retrieved 23 January 2018, from
https://globalnews.ca/news/3936704/drew-doughty-fake-news/
Elder, J. (2015, November 28). United Patriots Front and No Room for Racism clash in central
Melbourne. The Age: Victoria. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/united-
patriots-front-and-no-room-for-racism-clash-in-central-melbourne-20151128-glaebb.html
Jenkins, R. (2014). Social identity. Routledge.
Lawson, T. J., McDonough, T. A., & Bodle, J. H. (2010). Confronting prejudiced comments:
Effectiveness of a role-playing exercise. Teaching of Psychology, 37(4)257-261.
Nelson, J. K., Dunn, K. M. & Paradies, Y. (2011). Bystander anti-racism: A review of the literature.
Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 11(1), 263-284. doi:10.1111/j.1530-
2415.2011.01274.x
Pedersen, A, Clarke, S, Dudgeon, P & Griffiths, B 2005, ‘Attitudes towards Indigenous Australians and
asylum seekers: The role of false beliefs and other social-psychological variables’, Australian
Psychologist, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 170-178, viewed 13 November 2013, Wiley Online Library,
DOI10.1080/00050060500243483.
Plous, S. (2000). Responding to overt displays of prejudice: A role-playing exercise. Teaching
Psychology, 27, (3),198 – 200.
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