In 2000, the American Psychological Association voted to abolish the use of the word "brown" as a psychological referent in psychology texts. The word "brown" was being used in reference to race, race-baiting, racial discrimination, and general subordination of racial minorities; however, the association deemed this usage problematic and decided to take an official stance against it.
Psychologists were subsequently told that they could no longer use the term "brown" to describe people who were of a darker color; speakers would have to be replaced with descriptions of "African Americans," "Latinos," or "Asian-American[s]" when possible and "Black, Brown, or Asian American," respectively, were present (Kuhle 2008). Some suggested this change was a nod toward progressivism and tolerance but also pointed out that this decision had been made along racial lines. Furthermore, some critics argued that it was unnecessarily restrictive. The ruling ruled out other words for African Americans such as "Black."
Although the issue was resolved, it was soon evident that the decision had other ramifications beyond psychologists’ usage guidelines. Here are five interesting facts about the controversy over color phenomenology:
Inaccurate Words for Ethnicity Affect People’s Acceptance of Science
The psycholinguists who conducted a study on people’s acceptance of science determined that the color terms that were adopted were relevant. The consensus on the part of the color enthusiasts seemed to be conclusive: if an individual used terms improperly (such as calling himself "a brown man"), the perception by those around him changed from positive to negative. Conversely, if someone described themselves as a "dark-skinned person," their peer approval went up by 8% (Kuhle 2008). The study also found that words can have a profound impact on emotion and perception. However, sociologists and psychologists must consider whether using racially neutral terms improves mental health analysis or if it creates more racial stigma by labeling people in unnecessary ways.
Intergroup Contact Remains Critical for Intergroup Friendship Development
Research suggests that interracial friendships are built on the foundations of social contact and identification in all cultures (Rigby & Jetten 2009). It is important for people to see themselves reflected in others rather than being seen exclusively as an opposite category before they are able to establish friendship relationships with people who are ethnically new in their community (Beaujot et al. 2005). Being physically indistinguishable is crucially important in facilitating equitable human interaction with members of different groups because it allows individuals to identify with each other and form meaningful connections with others without experiencing bias based on features like skin; hair texture or color; or facial features like slanted eyes Textiles cannot do this alone because they do not communicate information about experiences or identities without context through visual cues. Sherif Miccinesi (2004) argues that mediated visual communication is not sufficient on its own when considering communication between self/ethnically different individuals where non-physical social cues are involved given previous research indicating that perceived similarity affects attractionFace to Face CommunicationPolitical Communication
Race Inaccuracies Are The Root Of Racial Disparity
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines racism as ‘the belief that each race is separate and thus unequal before God’ and ‘the assumption that society should be segregated based on race’. The dictionary dates its first usage back to 1844, when it first appeared in Britain’ eward V. Johnson published ‘Lyrics
Dukes’ historical novel in 1860 which expresses his racist views
Duke’ Historical Novel which expressed his racist views
Duke’s Historical Novel which expressed her racist views
#Rename #Color #Brown,
#Rename #Color #Brown, should-we-rename-the-color-brown
