Vocabulary

Ableism

The dermination of an individuals’s abilities based on his or her disabilities; any policy or practice promoting the belief that people with disabilities are inferior to people without disabilities in order to justify discimination against them

Americanization

The demant that immigrants to the United States abandon their cultural or ethnic background to conform as dictated by the majority group

Androgyny

Promotes the interchangeability of female & male roles or responsibilities in all areas beyond fundamental biological roles; the belief that males and females share a variety of human traits that should be encouraged in both sexes; not a denial of the differences between males and females

Anglo-conformity perspective

Maintains that everyone in the United States should conform to the values, norms, and standards that were determined by the Anglo founders of the country and are modified by a continuing white majority

anti-Catholicism

Stereotypes or prejudice against Catholics; discrimination against Catholics

anti-Semitism

Stereotypes or prejudice against Jews; discrimination against Jews

assimilation

The process by which immigrants adopt cultural traits and blend into a society

atheism

The belief that God does not exist

attitude

A cluster of related beliefs, values, and opinions

avoidance rationalization

A response that acknowledges the existence of a problem, but avoids addressing the problem by proposing false solutions or using irrelevant arguments

beliefs

Inferences a person makes about reality that take one of three forms: descriptive, evaluative, or prescriptive

bias

A preference or inclination that inhibits impartial judgment

bigotry

Extreme negative attitudes that lead to hatred of a group and persons regarded as members of the group

bisexual

Normative category of sexual identity referring to lifelong sexual desires and/or erotic relations with members of both sexes

classism

refers to discriminatroy attitudes and actions toward others based on their low socioeconomic status

confirmation bias

believing information that reinforces beliefs already held & ignoring information that contradicts those beliefs

cultural ableism

the societal promotion of negative beliefs and images concerning people with disabilities that tend to portray them as deviant or incompetent; an assumption of superiority by people or groups based on physical, mental and emotional attributes

cultural chauvinism

beliefs that ones culture is the best; refusal to learn about other cultures

cultural heterosexism

the societal promotion of negative beliefs & practices that reinforce dominant cultural traits that define heterosexuality as the norm and anything else as deviant and unacceptable

Cultural racism

recognizing the activities and contributions of one racial group in preference to others