RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE | COMPLETE
SOCIOLOGY FINAL EXAM REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027
The idea that race is irrelevant in the U.S., that the country is the land of opportunity and that any group,
including African Americans, can be successful if they only worked harder is referred to as: a)post-racial
society b)enlightened racism c)institutional discrimination d)individual racism e)patriotism - ANS ✔✔B)
Enlightened racism
The concept of new racism: a)refers to the racism of minorities directed at members of majority groups.
b)notes that historical forms of racism are now experienced in a less obvious, but no less significant,
manner. c)suggests that racism has ben eliminated in the U.S. and sexism has become the new racism.
d)refers to the new racism directed at the newest immigrants to the U.S. e)refers to forms of racism new
immigrants to the U.S. bring with them from their society of origins. - ANS ✔✔B) Notes that historical
forms of racism are now experienced in a less obvious, but no less significant, manner.
Sterotypical representations of minorities that shape how people in society view one another and serve
to justify inequality are called: a)colorism. b)controlling images. c)skin color stratification.
d)hypodescent. e)patriarchy. - ANS ✔✔B) Controlling images.
Representations of Latinos as drug dealers, gangbangers and petty criminals, which serve to lend support
to the disproportionate imprisonment of Latinos, illustrate the concept of: a)colorism. b)controlling
images. c)skin color stratification. d)hypodescent. e)patriarchy. - ANS ✔✔B) Controlling images.
The idea within races, lighter complexion is better, is called: a)colorism. b)controlling images. c)skin color
stratification. d)hypodescent. e)patriarchy. - ANS ✔✔A) Colorism
The unequal distribution of resources such as income and status that reflects the valuing of people
influence by lightness of complexion is called skin-color stratification. True/False? - ANS ✔✔True
Societies within which people occupy status based on their skin color are called pigmentocracies.
True/False - ANS ✔✔True
The legal principle of racial classification that was historically prominent in the United States, asserting
that any person with even a single ancestor of sub-Saharan-African ancestry was to be considered black
(the one-drop rule), is an example of the principle hypodescent. True/False? - ANS ✔✔True
Within systems of patriarchy women have more power than men. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Colorism is experience by African Americans but not other minority such as Asian Americans and Latinos.
True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Slavery, as it developed in North America, was unique in which the following ways? a)slaves had no
human or legal rights, and slavery was a permanent and inherited status. b)conquered peoples and
indebted individuals were enslaved. c)slaves could buy their freedom after seven years of servitude. d)a
and b e)slavery in North America was not unique, but instead represented continuity of a practice that
,has been part of the human experience since antiquity. - ANS ✔✔A) Slaves had no human or legal rights,
and slavery was a permanent and inherited status.
Compared to dominant groups of society, as a group, all minorities: a)are of a different race. b)are of a
different ethnic heritage. c)are less prejudice. d)all of the above e)none of the above - ANS ✔✔E) None
of the above
In which of the following cities is Black-White segregation the greatest? a)Memphis, Tennessee
b)Birmingham, Alabama c)New Orleans, Louisiana d)Detroit, Michigan e)Atlanta, Georgia - ANS ✔✔D)
Detroit, Michigan
Race: a)because it is so immediately apparent when we meet people, has been a significant determinant
of social experience throughout history. b)has, throughout history, shaped the experience of slavery. c)is
determined by biology. d)all of the above e)none of the above - ANS ✔✔E) None of the Above
Affirmative action programs require that quotas be met to ensure that minorities have been fairly
considered for employment opportunities or college admissions. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Reverse discrimination refers to when minorities discriminate against members of majority groups.
True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Because racial and ethnic categories are both social constructions, they have limited influence on
people's opportunities within the institutions of society. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
The term manumission refers to the practice of denying the right of slaves to marry and to learn literacy
skills. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
The denial of rights or opportunities to individuals or groups is called: a)ethnocentrism. b)pluralism.
c)multiculturalism. d)prejudice. e)discrimination. - ANS ✔✔C) Multiculturalism
White privilege: a)refers to the rights or immunities granted, in American society, as a benefit of being
white. b)refers to the advantages, often unrecognized, for being white in American society. c)is often
invisible to whites. d)all of the above e)a and b - ANS ✔✔D) All of the above
The theory that prejudice advantages the majority by serving to justify the subordination of minorities is
called: a)scapegoating theory. b)authoritarian personality theory. c)exploitation theory. d)normative
approach. e)institutional discrimination. - ANS ✔✔C) Exploitation theory
The advocacy and practice of using race-neutral principle sin hiring admissions or their policies:
a)perpetuates the racially unequal status quo. b)promotes the avoidance of discussions of thee
significance of race in society. c)is referred to as color-blind racism d)all of the above e)promotes racial
equality in society. - ANS ✔✔D) All of the above
Which of the following exemplifies institutional discrimination? a)college policies of legacy admission.
b)color-blind college admissions policies. c)a racist admissions officer denying college admission to
African-American applicants. d)all of the above e)a and b - ANS ✔✔E) A and B
, Because education is the great equalizer, inequalities of income and wealth among racial and ethnic
groups are eliminated among individuals who have similar levels of educational attainment. True/False? -
ANS ✔✔False
According to the contact hypothesis, prejudice can be reduced by encouraging interaction between any
individuals of different racial or ethnic group membership. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Absolute deprivation refers to the experience of living in circumstances below an identified standard of
minimum subsistence. True/False? - ANS ✔✔True
The expectation that immigrants will adopt the dominant culture of society is called assimilation.
True/False? - ANS ✔✔True
Because the institutions of society are related to each other, disadvantage in one institution is likely to
result in disadvantage in other institutions. This pattern of disadvantage is referred to as institutional
discrimination. True/False? - ANS ✔✔True
Which of the following statements is/are true? a)racial categories, because they are biological, are
consistent across all cultures. b)racial categories vary across cultures and even within cultures over time.
c)racial categories are identified by socially significant physical differences. d)racial categories are social
constructions that are created, maintained and changed through the process of racial formation. - ANS
✔✔D) All of the above
Among the five characteristics of minorities identified by Schaefer are: a)they receive unequal treatment
and have less power than the majority. b)they share physical or cultural characteristics that are different
than the majority. c)they experience a strong sense of group solidarity and membership is not voluntary.
d)they marry members of the same group. e)all of the above - ANS ✔✔E) All of the above
The concept of marginality refers to the experience of: a)the development of solidarity between ethnic
subgroups such as different tribes of Native Americans or Asian Americans from different Asian nations
and cultures. b)being excluded from participation in activities common to members of the dominant
group. c)the status of living between two cultures, such as when one has parents of two different ethnic
heritages. d)the hierarchy, or structured ranking, among racial, ethnic and gender groups. e)individuals
when they immigrate to a new country. - ANS ✔✔C) The status of living between two cultures, such as
when one has parents of two different ethnic heritages.
The term used to refer to the portrayal of problems of racial an ethnic minorities as their own fault,
rather than recognizing the problems as a consequence of the function of society is: a)labeling theory
b)blaming the victim c)self-fulfilling prophecy d)segregation e)pluralism - ANS ✔✔B) Blaming the victim
Discrimination can be eliminated if prejudice is eliminated. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
As indicated in data provided in the Schaefer text, by 2060 White non-Hispanics will be sociological
minority in the U.S. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Ethnic groups are distinguished within society by their socially significant physical characteristics.
True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
SOCIOLOGY FINAL EXAM REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027
The idea that race is irrelevant in the U.S., that the country is the land of opportunity and that any group,
including African Americans, can be successful if they only worked harder is referred to as: a)post-racial
society b)enlightened racism c)institutional discrimination d)individual racism e)patriotism - ANS ✔✔B)
Enlightened racism
The concept of new racism: a)refers to the racism of minorities directed at members of majority groups.
b)notes that historical forms of racism are now experienced in a less obvious, but no less significant,
manner. c)suggests that racism has ben eliminated in the U.S. and sexism has become the new racism.
d)refers to the new racism directed at the newest immigrants to the U.S. e)refers to forms of racism new
immigrants to the U.S. bring with them from their society of origins. - ANS ✔✔B) Notes that historical
forms of racism are now experienced in a less obvious, but no less significant, manner.
Sterotypical representations of minorities that shape how people in society view one another and serve
to justify inequality are called: a)colorism. b)controlling images. c)skin color stratification.
d)hypodescent. e)patriarchy. - ANS ✔✔B) Controlling images.
Representations of Latinos as drug dealers, gangbangers and petty criminals, which serve to lend support
to the disproportionate imprisonment of Latinos, illustrate the concept of: a)colorism. b)controlling
images. c)skin color stratification. d)hypodescent. e)patriarchy. - ANS ✔✔B) Controlling images.
The idea within races, lighter complexion is better, is called: a)colorism. b)controlling images. c)skin color
stratification. d)hypodescent. e)patriarchy. - ANS ✔✔A) Colorism
The unequal distribution of resources such as income and status that reflects the valuing of people
influence by lightness of complexion is called skin-color stratification. True/False? - ANS ✔✔True
Societies within which people occupy status based on their skin color are called pigmentocracies.
True/False - ANS ✔✔True
The legal principle of racial classification that was historically prominent in the United States, asserting
that any person with even a single ancestor of sub-Saharan-African ancestry was to be considered black
(the one-drop rule), is an example of the principle hypodescent. True/False? - ANS ✔✔True
Within systems of patriarchy women have more power than men. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Colorism is experience by African Americans but not other minority such as Asian Americans and Latinos.
True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Slavery, as it developed in North America, was unique in which the following ways? a)slaves had no
human or legal rights, and slavery was a permanent and inherited status. b)conquered peoples and
indebted individuals were enslaved. c)slaves could buy their freedom after seven years of servitude. d)a
and b e)slavery in North America was not unique, but instead represented continuity of a practice that
,has been part of the human experience since antiquity. - ANS ✔✔A) Slaves had no human or legal rights,
and slavery was a permanent and inherited status.
Compared to dominant groups of society, as a group, all minorities: a)are of a different race. b)are of a
different ethnic heritage. c)are less prejudice. d)all of the above e)none of the above - ANS ✔✔E) None
of the above
In which of the following cities is Black-White segregation the greatest? a)Memphis, Tennessee
b)Birmingham, Alabama c)New Orleans, Louisiana d)Detroit, Michigan e)Atlanta, Georgia - ANS ✔✔D)
Detroit, Michigan
Race: a)because it is so immediately apparent when we meet people, has been a significant determinant
of social experience throughout history. b)has, throughout history, shaped the experience of slavery. c)is
determined by biology. d)all of the above e)none of the above - ANS ✔✔E) None of the Above
Affirmative action programs require that quotas be met to ensure that minorities have been fairly
considered for employment opportunities or college admissions. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Reverse discrimination refers to when minorities discriminate against members of majority groups.
True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Because racial and ethnic categories are both social constructions, they have limited influence on
people's opportunities within the institutions of society. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
The term manumission refers to the practice of denying the right of slaves to marry and to learn literacy
skills. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
The denial of rights or opportunities to individuals or groups is called: a)ethnocentrism. b)pluralism.
c)multiculturalism. d)prejudice. e)discrimination. - ANS ✔✔C) Multiculturalism
White privilege: a)refers to the rights or immunities granted, in American society, as a benefit of being
white. b)refers to the advantages, often unrecognized, for being white in American society. c)is often
invisible to whites. d)all of the above e)a and b - ANS ✔✔D) All of the above
The theory that prejudice advantages the majority by serving to justify the subordination of minorities is
called: a)scapegoating theory. b)authoritarian personality theory. c)exploitation theory. d)normative
approach. e)institutional discrimination. - ANS ✔✔C) Exploitation theory
The advocacy and practice of using race-neutral principle sin hiring admissions or their policies:
a)perpetuates the racially unequal status quo. b)promotes the avoidance of discussions of thee
significance of race in society. c)is referred to as color-blind racism d)all of the above e)promotes racial
equality in society. - ANS ✔✔D) All of the above
Which of the following exemplifies institutional discrimination? a)college policies of legacy admission.
b)color-blind college admissions policies. c)a racist admissions officer denying college admission to
African-American applicants. d)all of the above e)a and b - ANS ✔✔E) A and B
, Because education is the great equalizer, inequalities of income and wealth among racial and ethnic
groups are eliminated among individuals who have similar levels of educational attainment. True/False? -
ANS ✔✔False
According to the contact hypothesis, prejudice can be reduced by encouraging interaction between any
individuals of different racial or ethnic group membership. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Absolute deprivation refers to the experience of living in circumstances below an identified standard of
minimum subsistence. True/False? - ANS ✔✔True
The expectation that immigrants will adopt the dominant culture of society is called assimilation.
True/False? - ANS ✔✔True
Because the institutions of society are related to each other, disadvantage in one institution is likely to
result in disadvantage in other institutions. This pattern of disadvantage is referred to as institutional
discrimination. True/False? - ANS ✔✔True
Which of the following statements is/are true? a)racial categories, because they are biological, are
consistent across all cultures. b)racial categories vary across cultures and even within cultures over time.
c)racial categories are identified by socially significant physical differences. d)racial categories are social
constructions that are created, maintained and changed through the process of racial formation. - ANS
✔✔D) All of the above
Among the five characteristics of minorities identified by Schaefer are: a)they receive unequal treatment
and have less power than the majority. b)they share physical or cultural characteristics that are different
than the majority. c)they experience a strong sense of group solidarity and membership is not voluntary.
d)they marry members of the same group. e)all of the above - ANS ✔✔E) All of the above
The concept of marginality refers to the experience of: a)the development of solidarity between ethnic
subgroups such as different tribes of Native Americans or Asian Americans from different Asian nations
and cultures. b)being excluded from participation in activities common to members of the dominant
group. c)the status of living between two cultures, such as when one has parents of two different ethnic
heritages. d)the hierarchy, or structured ranking, among racial, ethnic and gender groups. e)individuals
when they immigrate to a new country. - ANS ✔✔C) The status of living between two cultures, such as
when one has parents of two different ethnic heritages.
The term used to refer to the portrayal of problems of racial an ethnic minorities as their own fault,
rather than recognizing the problems as a consequence of the function of society is: a)labeling theory
b)blaming the victim c)self-fulfilling prophecy d)segregation e)pluralism - ANS ✔✔B) Blaming the victim
Discrimination can be eliminated if prejudice is eliminated. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
As indicated in data provided in the Schaefer text, by 2060 White non-Hispanics will be sociological
minority in the U.S. True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
Ethnic groups are distinguished within society by their socially significant physical characteristics.
True/False? - ANS ✔✔False
