Understanding Racial Prejudice and Ethnic Bias Through a Social Psychological Lens

Essay from the year 2013 in the subject Psychology - Social Psychology, grade: Distinction, London School of Economics, language: English, comment: This is an excellent essay. You show a good understanding of social psychology, good knowledge of the theories and have focused on a relevant issue that provides many connections to social psychology. What is particularly good here is the discussion of theory THROUGH and issue (racism). After a good account of theories you apply theory to an interview in an informed and thoughtful way. Using an interview in this way is quite innovative, shows hard working and independent thinking. An excellent essay overall. You have shown precision and breadth as well as depth of knowledge., abstract: On February 26, 2012 neighbourhood watch volunteer G. Zimmerman from Sanford, FL fatally shot unarmed Trayvon Martin, a 17-year old black teenager. The eventual acquittal of Zimmerman sparked fundamental debates about racial profiling and civil rights, polarizing nations and different interest groups in an argument about the possibility of a racialized shooter bias. A similar case in the US from 2001 revolved around the killing of West-African immigrant Amadiou Diallo, who had been shot 41 times by police after reaching for an object which turned out to be his wallet instead of a gun. Whereas prosecutors and spectators in favour of the victims claimed racism to be the root of such tragedies, the opposing camp argued that prosecuting the shooters would have been a travesty, absurdly and falsely representing self-defence. Though most common in judicial situations, such as the shootings of Trayvon and Amadiou, racial profiling can be defined as encompassing any form of discrimination based on stereotypes, ethnic bias or prejudice about race and skin colour. Racial bias manifests in negative repercussions for black individuals in a variety of ways, for example in education, recruiting and the workplace, health care, court room decisions an