RACE AND ETHNICITY EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE | COMPLETE SOCIOLOGY EXAM
REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027
Enlightened Racism - correct answer ✔✔The idea that the United States is a land of opportunity and
that African Americans could do better if they only tried harder.
Ex) The Cosby Show.
What can be concluded from the fact that the Cosby family in the Cosby Show didn't receive racism? -
correct answer ✔✔Reinforces the idea that racism is a result of how African Americans behave.
-Americans saw themselves as less racist because they accepted the family on the show and that it was
okay to view other African Americans negatively based on their behavior.
What are the African American women stereotypes in the media? - correct answer ✔✔Mammy,
Sapphire, Jezebel.
Mammy - correct answer ✔✔A stereotypical image of a black maid
Sapphire - correct answer ✔✔One of the main characters on the television show Amos 'n' Andy; the
caricature of an angry black woman.
Jezebel - correct answer ✔✔A name with biblical origins that has come to signify a stereotypically
oversexed or hypersexual black women
What are the stereotypes of Latino/as in the media? - correct answer ✔✔Cantina Girl, Suffering
Señorita, Vamp.
Catina Girl - correct answer ✔✔A stereotype of a Latina as an unavailable sexual object
Suffering Señorita - correct answer ✔✔A stereotype of a Latina who suffers physical harm while
protecting her Anglo love interest.
Vamp - correct answer ✔✔A stereotype of a Latina who uses devious and cunning stratagems to get
what she wants.
What are the portrayals of Arab/Arab Americans in the media? (including descriptions for each gender) -
correct answer ✔✔They are portrayed as foreign
Women: Veiled or exotic
Male: Billionaire or terrorists.
What are the stereotypes of Asians/Asian American women in the media? - correct answer ✔✔Dragon
Lady and Butterfly
Dragon Lady - correct answer ✔✔A stereotype of an Asian woman as a sinister, crafty, and destructive
seductress
, Butterfly - correct answer ✔✔A stereotype of an Asian woman who Is a demure, devoted, submissive
wife.
What is a meme and what does it have to do with racism? - correct answer ✔✔An idea, image, video, or
phrase that spreads in a culture, particularly via social media.
- Racial memes are effective ways of getting a message across bc they are easy to digest.
New Racism - correct answer ✔✔Current reflections of racial formations from prior historical periods.
Controlling Images - correct answer ✔✔Raced, classed, and gendered media depictions of what African
Americans are and are not.
TRUE OR FALSE. Every representation of nonwhites also defines whiteness. - correct answer ✔✔True.
ex) Blacks are strong so whites are smart.
ex) 17th century representation of black men being lazy was used to justify slavery.
Ex) Todays representation of them as thugs is used to justify incarceration.
How are racial stereotypes propagated in popular culture? - correct answer ✔✔Common stereotypes of
various racial and ethnic groups are perpetuated on television and in other media.
How have representations of African Americans changed since the 1950s? - correct answer ✔✔Prior to
the civil rights era, African Americans were seen as incapable of self governance and that they deserved
the place they were in within the racial order.
Afterwords, it switched to enlightened racism. Racism was justified through the idea that it was based off
of the behavior of African Americans.
What are the historical origins of stereotypical portrayals of Native Americans? - correct answer
✔✔"Capacity Narrative"-White women and children were captured by Native Americans became a
staple in American Fiction in the 18th, 19th, and 20th century.
TRUE OR FALSE. Native Americans have some presence in the media? - correct answer ✔✔FALSE, they
are notable absent in Prime Time TV.
In general, what are some stereotypes of Native Americans. - correct answer ✔✔-When first settling,
Savage.
-Alternate depiction of the medicine man/wise man emerged
PURPOSE TO SERVE WHITE PEOPLE.
How have new media changed the way stereotypes are spread and countered? - correct answer ✔✔Old
stereotypes prevail even in new media such as video games and social media, which have an increasingly
important influence.
How do media images serve to justify racial inequality? - correct answer ✔✔Media Images are not
harmless: they justify racial inequalities by shaping stereotypes about racial and ethnic minorities as well
as about whites.
REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027
Enlightened Racism - correct answer ✔✔The idea that the United States is a land of opportunity and
that African Americans could do better if they only tried harder.
Ex) The Cosby Show.
What can be concluded from the fact that the Cosby family in the Cosby Show didn't receive racism? -
correct answer ✔✔Reinforces the idea that racism is a result of how African Americans behave.
-Americans saw themselves as less racist because they accepted the family on the show and that it was
okay to view other African Americans negatively based on their behavior.
What are the African American women stereotypes in the media? - correct answer ✔✔Mammy,
Sapphire, Jezebel.
Mammy - correct answer ✔✔A stereotypical image of a black maid
Sapphire - correct answer ✔✔One of the main characters on the television show Amos 'n' Andy; the
caricature of an angry black woman.
Jezebel - correct answer ✔✔A name with biblical origins that has come to signify a stereotypically
oversexed or hypersexual black women
What are the stereotypes of Latino/as in the media? - correct answer ✔✔Cantina Girl, Suffering
Señorita, Vamp.
Catina Girl - correct answer ✔✔A stereotype of a Latina as an unavailable sexual object
Suffering Señorita - correct answer ✔✔A stereotype of a Latina who suffers physical harm while
protecting her Anglo love interest.
Vamp - correct answer ✔✔A stereotype of a Latina who uses devious and cunning stratagems to get
what she wants.
What are the portrayals of Arab/Arab Americans in the media? (including descriptions for each gender) -
correct answer ✔✔They are portrayed as foreign
Women: Veiled or exotic
Male: Billionaire or terrorists.
What are the stereotypes of Asians/Asian American women in the media? - correct answer ✔✔Dragon
Lady and Butterfly
Dragon Lady - correct answer ✔✔A stereotype of an Asian woman as a sinister, crafty, and destructive
seductress
, Butterfly - correct answer ✔✔A stereotype of an Asian woman who Is a demure, devoted, submissive
wife.
What is a meme and what does it have to do with racism? - correct answer ✔✔An idea, image, video, or
phrase that spreads in a culture, particularly via social media.
- Racial memes are effective ways of getting a message across bc they are easy to digest.
New Racism - correct answer ✔✔Current reflections of racial formations from prior historical periods.
Controlling Images - correct answer ✔✔Raced, classed, and gendered media depictions of what African
Americans are and are not.
TRUE OR FALSE. Every representation of nonwhites also defines whiteness. - correct answer ✔✔True.
ex) Blacks are strong so whites are smart.
ex) 17th century representation of black men being lazy was used to justify slavery.
Ex) Todays representation of them as thugs is used to justify incarceration.
How are racial stereotypes propagated in popular culture? - correct answer ✔✔Common stereotypes of
various racial and ethnic groups are perpetuated on television and in other media.
How have representations of African Americans changed since the 1950s? - correct answer ✔✔Prior to
the civil rights era, African Americans were seen as incapable of self governance and that they deserved
the place they were in within the racial order.
Afterwords, it switched to enlightened racism. Racism was justified through the idea that it was based off
of the behavior of African Americans.
What are the historical origins of stereotypical portrayals of Native Americans? - correct answer
✔✔"Capacity Narrative"-White women and children were captured by Native Americans became a
staple in American Fiction in the 18th, 19th, and 20th century.
TRUE OR FALSE. Native Americans have some presence in the media? - correct answer ✔✔FALSE, they
are notable absent in Prime Time TV.
In general, what are some stereotypes of Native Americans. - correct answer ✔✔-When first settling,
Savage.
-Alternate depiction of the medicine man/wise man emerged
PURPOSE TO SERVE WHITE PEOPLE.
How have new media changed the way stereotypes are spread and countered? - correct answer ✔✔Old
stereotypes prevail even in new media such as video games and social media, which have an increasingly
important influence.
How do media images serve to justify racial inequality? - correct answer ✔✔Media Images are not
harmless: they justify racial inequalities by shaping stereotypes about racial and ethnic minorities as well
as about whites.
