Intergroup relations are defined by our attitudes toward anyone who is not in our group. (Schneider, Gruman, Coutts. Pg. 6). These attitudes may be positive or negative in nature. When negative intergroup relations develop it can be a precursor to prejudice. Many influences can shape personal intergroup relations. The media, social contact, and personal experiences just to name a few.
When I was eighteen I joined the National Guard with my sister. I am from a very small, very rural area of central Pennsylvania. I had never flown in an airplane, rode a transit bus or subway, or even a taxi. We arrived at Fort Dix, New Jersey for basic training, late in the evening we were assigned our housing and went in to discover we were the only two who had arrived. We went to sleep and in the morning when we awoke there was a group of about eight women, all of whom were Black, standing around our bunks. I smiled and said good morning. One of the women asked us if we were prejudiced, (we are White), and I said no I don’t think so. They asked me what that was supposed to mean, and I told them that we had never met a Black person before. They became visibly upset and asked if that was because Black people weren’t allowed to attend our school. I said no, we don’t have any Black people in our school district. They were a bit more upset and said is that because they are not allowed to live there, and I said not that I know of, I just think they don’t want to live there. I told them I have seen Black people on television though. That did not seem to make them any happier with us. I was truly out of my element and every time I opened my mouth I just seemed to make matters a bit worse, but I truly didn’t know why they found me so upsetting. I finally said that I don’t know if I like Black people or not but that I know there are a lot of White people I don’t like. I told them that I imagined there would be some Black people I would like and some Black people I would dislike, because that is how it was with White people. They seemed to accept that at face value.
I became friends with some of them and remained just a fellow soldier with others. When discussing the events of the morning later with my sister in private, she told me she had wished that I would just be quit talking because I seemed to be making everything worse. I told her that I needed to be honest with them and let them know how I felt because if not we would always distrust each other. She agreed and said she was just happy it all worked out.
I learned a lot about race relations in that fifteen or twenty minutes of my life. I think sometimes we label ourselves with our social identities and our intergroup attitudes and this leads to limiting the positive relationships in our lives. I have found that my life can be enriched from the most unlikely of sources as long as I don’t place limits or restrictions on others. Racism is still a major concern in the military, while I was researching I came across this article: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/10/31/pentagon-training-manual-white-males-have-unfair-advantages/.
Fox News online: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/10/31/pentagon-training- manual-white-males-have-unfair-advantages/
Schneider, F.W., Gruman J.A., Coutts, L.M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. SAGE Publications. Kindle Edition.
Tags: psych 424
I applaud you for how you handled the situation! Yours is an inspiring story of out-group person who is fair and honest who faced the confrontation and was accepted by in-group members. I agree with Samantha that military could prevent potential hostility occurring within the new recruits by doing preventive team building training utilizing contact hypothesis. But I wonder if such team building activities are already built into the basic training camp menu? The crucial conditions that must be met for reduction of prejudice and discrimination are equal status contact, common goals and support by relevant institutions (Penn State University World Campus, 2014). Joining military and going through the basic training is equal status. Joining military to defend one’s own nation is common goal, and team work is supported by the military.
All through life, we face situations that does not fit the established case or policy. In fact, it is rare that something is already worked out and we just utilize the program for the best result, such as team building training that is supposed to break down the barrier between departments and individuals. We also must accept that even with the best of intervention program based on theories, if someone had malicious intent, we must come up with solution that is specific for such case.
I once worked for a global company with wonderful CEO and honest, good and hard working managers. We had great team building training programs that was at the front of corporate training. But in our division, there was a man who was not malicious, but who so very badly wanted to climb the organizational ladder to be a manager of our division. His behavior seems to fit into the social identity theory that to fulfill his personal identity, he ignored the good of the organization (Penn State University World Campus 2014). At that time, the organization I belonged to had several people like him who were following the arbitrary set hierarchy within the social dominance theory to achieve their own desire for power (Penn State University World Campus 2014). That was 17 years ago, and within 3 years or so, the company was not doing well, and now, their global share is fraction of what it used to be.
I do agree that there is prejudice within the military. The personal story to show as an example was great and showed a presence of in-group and out-group. In your personal situation, the black women that approached you bunk became the in-group and felt the need to defend themselves against the out-group (being you in this case). I do wonder, however, if there could be a way to help reduce the prejudice in this situation? Since everyone was there for basic training, could the contact hypothesis help in reducing prejudice? There is a common goal of defending and protecting your country and you would have to together a lot to help become one team. Or maybe there could be a better way to explain how to put your racial differences aside. Also, the article attached was extremely relevant and proved valid points. Perhaps tying your personal story and the article together could show the overall severity of the issue.