Vincent N. Parrillo's Causes Of Prejudice

When one hears about The United States of America, one automatically thinks of the idea that has been instilled into our brains, the idea that America was founded and continues to be based on freedom and equality for all, a belief that once anyone immigrated to America, he or she will be welcomed with arms open and will become a member of the “melting pot.” However, what is the truth behind this expectation? Various events and experiences have proved otherwise. In the article titled “Causes of Prejudice”, written by Vincent N. Parrillo, a sociology professor at William Paterson University, he explains the various causes that are correlated with the result of prejudice especially in America. These theories can be used to try and understand racism in America and the interview done by Studs Terkel, a renown oral historian, of C.P. Ellis a former member of the Ku Klux Klan. In this interview, C.P. Ellis illustrates his racist transformation after interacting with African-Americans. Although, there is not a simple answer to what causes prejudice, three of Parrillo’s theories that have an immense influence on becoming prejudice are socialization, economic competition and social norms.
A theory presented by Parrillo, is the theory of the socialization process where individuals are heavily molded by the beliefs of those around them, resulting in the individual carrying on prejudiced beliefs. Parrillo defines, “in the socialization process individuals acquire the values, attitudes,