Symbolic Interventionist Interventionist Perspectives
What happens when people from different racial and ethnic groups come into contact with one another? In the contact hypothesis, symbolic internationalists pointout that contact between people from divergent groups should lead to favorable attitudes and behavior when certain factors are present. Members of each group must (I) have equal status, (2) pursue the same goals, (3) cooperate with one another to achieve their goals, and (4) receive positive feedback when they interact
with one another in positive, nondiscriminatory ways (All port, 1958; Oakley, 2004). What happens when individuals meet someone who does not conform to their existing stereotype? Frequently, they ignore anything that contradicts the stereotype, or they interpret the situation to support their prejudices (Oakley, 2(04). For example, a person who docs not fit the stereotype may be seen as an exception: “You’re not like other Persons of a particular race].” When a person is seen as conforming to a stereotype. he or she may be treated simply as one of “you people Former Los Angles Lakers basketball star Marvin “Magic” Johnson (1992: 31-32) described how he was categorized along with all other African Americans
when he was bused to a predominantly white school On the first day of [basketball) practice, my teammates froze me out. Time after time r was wide .
