Essay - Blacks and the Effects of Racism Chapter 2 Research Question:...

Blacks and the Effects of Racism

Chapter 2

Research Question: Is there a relationship between past prejudice ***** life satisfaction?

Introduction

***** nature and effects of racism, prejudice, and discrimination in society impact mental health in African Americans (Rollock & Gordon, 2000; Dobb*****s ***** Skillings, 2002). Harrell (2000) found that less attention is paid to the experience of racism among those who are its targets. For example, it is not uncommon for experiences ***** racism to be questions or challenged by others. Such requests ***** proof can create a my-perception-against-yours dilemma that may include accusations of paranoia, hostil*****y, oversensitivity, manipulations, self-serving motives, or having a 'chip on one's shoulder' (Harrell, *****).

***** research cited by ***** (2000) suggests ***** people's perceptions of personal and group discrimination are generally quite accurate. Some degree of denial may be helpful in avoid*****g feelings of powerlessness ***** vulnerability, and conserving psychic and emotional energy (Harrell, 2000). However, this short-term projection may by harmful ***** the development of long-term coping. From a nature versus nurture st*****point, the environment affects individual functions, and the behavior of individuals contributes to environmental demands. For people of color, life stress also *****s considerations of experiences that are related to the unique person-environment transactions involving race (Harrell, ***** Utsey, Chae, Brown & Kelly, 2002). Microstressors can be described as innocuous, preconscious or unconscious degradations and put downs. F***** example, being mistaken for someone who serves *****, such as a maid or a bellboy, or ***** ignored or overlooked while w*****iting in line can be a cause of stress in people of color. Intentional or unintentional daily racism micro**********s may ***** perceived as ***** serious enough for most people to confront. Most such microstressors are allowed to p*****s in order to protect one's time, *****, sanity, or bodily *****tegrity. Repeated contact with racial slights and prejudices, including microstressors, can produce a condition of "psychological invisibility" (Franklin ***** Boyd-Franklin, 2000).

African Americans are *****ten impacted ***** stressors ***** as chronic contextual stress and collective *****. Chronic contextual stress is the unequal distribution of resources and limitations on opportunities for blacks that influence the quality of life for those individuals and their families, liquor stores primarily on every corner in black neighborhoods, ***** out-of-date textbooks in urban public schools are examples of ***** contextual *****ors (Utsey, Payne, Jackson, & Jones, *****). Collective experiences are another stressor, and exist in the absence of political representation. ***** has a profound impact on the mental health of African Americans (Dobb*****s ***** Skillings, 2002; Rollock & Gordon, 2000).

***** addition to chronic contextual stress and ***** collective ***** of stress, racism has the potential ***** ***** the physical and psychological health ***** African Americans (Rollock & Gordon, 2000). For example, Utsey et al (2002) note that ***** has been implicated in the onset of stress-related diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, lung *****iments, accidental injuries, and cirrhosis of the liver. Psychologically, chronic exposure to racism has ***** associated with increased levels of depression, lowered ***** satisfaction