SOCIOL 110 Chapter Notes - Chapter 30: Scapegoating, Microsociology

• School: UMASS-Amherst
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOCIOL 110
• Professor: Noa Milman

Document Summary

Poverty is good for you, as long as you are not poor. Poverty affects everyone, because it has negative consequences and leads to dangerous actions (pregnancy out of wedlock, working dangerous jobs, street crime, etc. ) Richer people believe that more people than actually are, are involved in these activities. Poor people are often thought to be undeserving. (if a young man couldn"t find a job, they"ll say he"s lazy, but maybe there just aren"t any jobs). So they"re thought to not deserve aid to escape poverty. These judgments are not based on evidence, but from stereotype. There"s no reason for exaggerating threats by stereotyping poor people (welfare money, crime) 5: risk reduction: by stigmatizing people, labelers protect themselves from having to associate with them. Scapegoating and displacement: by labeling them undeserving, they could be blamed for any shortcoming of everyday life. Feelings of revenge towards them gives others emotional satisfaction.