Increasing Awareness of Group Privilege With College Students

A qualitative study was conducted with 850 participants in 36 different classes including Child and Family Studies, Human Relations, Aviation, and Community Studies in a university in Midwest. The study conducted was based on a simulated discrimination exercise to increase awareness of group and preferential treatment among college students. Based on reviewing and coding of participants' reflections, following five major themes were identified: awareness of differential application of rules based on group identity; emotional impact of being treated unfairly; effect of a person in power's nonverbal and verbal behavior on participants; individual reactions within and between groups; and what makes it hard to talk about race. ********** When asked about their racial views members of dominant group endorse abstract principles of racial equality and fairness yet continue to oppose pragmatic initiatives and programs to reduce racial inequality (Schuman, Steeh, Bobo, & Krysan, 1997; Sears, Hetts, Sidanius, & Bobo, 2000; Bonilla-Silva & Forman, 2000). Many dominant group members also do not consider themselves prejudiced, but hold negative racial stereotypes, have feelings of resentment and dislike towards minorities, deny existence of racial prejudice and discrimination, attribute lack of minority economic gains to a lack of hard work, and believe intervening programs have unfairly advantaged minority groups at expense of those in dominant group (Henry & Sears, 2002; Sears & Henry, 2003). This belief system reflects what social science scholars have termed modern racism (McConahay, Hardee, & Batts, 1981). While old-fashioned racism, overt racist practices and belief in biological inferiority of Blacks, continues to exist, modern racism reflects apparent contradiction between endorsement of racial equality, rejection of policies to bring about racial equality, and prejudice attitudes; culminating in economic, social, educational, and political adverse consequences for minority groups (Kinder & Sears, 1981; Feagin & Sikes, 1994; Dovidio & Gaertner, 1986; Feagin & McKinney, 2003; McConahay & Hough, 1976). An important factor embedded within notion of modern racism is influence of group on racial positions of those in dominant group. Group is unearned advantage conferred to dominant group; unearned because advantages are obtained not by ability or effort but rather by solely being a member of a privileged group (Johnson, 2006; McIntosh, 1989; Whitley & Kite, 2006). A consequence of group is it is often self perpetuating because unearned advantages are often oblivious to those that hold them (Johnson, 2006; McIntosh, 1989), which helps maintain systems of and advantages for members of dominant group (Johnson, 2006). Another consequence of group is prejudical attitudes, discrimination or undeserved negative treatment occurs against members of a minority group (Dovidio & Gaertner, 1986), which can take many forms; from avoidance, exclusion, to outright rejection (Johnson, 2006; Feagin & McKinney, 2003). What culminates from group is a culture of inequality- the disadvantages of experiencing prejudice and discrimination and advantages of unearned privilege (Whitley & Kite, 2006, p. 15). Colleges nationwide have been increasing their diversity initiatives through infusing multicultural content within individual course curricula, or requiring a diversity course(s) to satisfy graduation requirements (Nesbitt, 2004; Greens, 2000; Humphrey, 2000). Diversity education programs aim to not only prepare students for an understanding of and appreciation for diversity within broader society, but also to stimulate critical thinking about issues such as racism, prejudice, oppression, privilege, and discrimination (Abrams & Gibson, 2007; Garcia & Melendez, 1997; Benjamin & Schwartz, 1995; and Lyons-Lawrence, 1994). …