One of the best ways to understand many of the concepts within social psychology is to examine real-world examples. The Key Assignment will be to discuss 1 such example (described below), and then explore the various social psychology concepts that are evident throughout the case.
A young Mexican-American man and his wife recently relocated to an upscale neighborhood in the suburbs of Chicago. Although the man speaks with a strong accent, he is fluent in English. The man works for a corporation in the area, and his family makes the average income for those living within that region of the state. Unfortunately, while looking for an apartment to rent, the man has two encounters with potential landlords that leave him feeling frustrated and discriminated against. Upon meeting with the man in person, both landlords denied the man the ability to rent from their facilities. Upon returning to his wife after these encounters, the man complained about the “crooked and underhanded” landlords that he had met as well as the possibility of filing a formal complaint.
Part 1
Summarize the example above, and provide similar examples from your own research of current events. Some examples might include minority people being denied access to jobs, harsher punishment for people of color, and so forth. Feel free to use various media sources to obtain a variety of examples. Please cite and describe at least 3 examples in addition to the one provided above.
- Include an account of each example and the people involved.
- Describe the reactions of the public, if applicable.
- Discuss cultural attitudes toward the minority people in your example that might be relevant in understanding your example.
- Discuss cultural attitudes toward women and men that might be relevant in understanding these events.
Also, begin to identify some of the social psychology concepts or theories that are relevant to the example given and the ones that you found. Consider the topics covered in Weeks 1–3, especially those related to discrimination, aggression, bystander apathy, and the fundamental attribution error. You will discuss these concepts in Part 2 of the Key Assignment.
