Psychologist believe that all human behavior can be explained in one way or the other. There are theories that explain the origin of behavior and how people come to think of themselves and others. one such theory is the operant conditioning developed by B. F. Skinner (Bruce Tuckman, 2009). Skinner held that behavior that is positively reinforced, even when it is negative tends to continue while the one that is negatively reinforced tends to diminish with time. According to skinner one would behave depending on what one has been conditioned voluntarily or involuntarily. Is this applicable to anyone in America in the case of racism occurrences?
First, it is common believe from ancient times that Blacks are inferior to Whites . From this perspective one believes that the race that one belongs to determine the mental capacity whereby Whites presumes to be highly gifted than the Blacks. Manie Bosman (2012) argues that such believes are held by the society, but not necessary right. He argues that the physical characteristics such as skin tone, language, eye color, customs and origin are of lesser values to humans. However, these traits used mainly by the racist in drafting regulations that racially profiles others. The traits creates definite groups that are targeted for discrimination with one being the oppressor while the other the oppressed. How does the conditioning happen.
The society is divided into groups that have different norms, characteristic. The members of each group ascribe to the norms and tend to repeal any other group that does not ascribe to its ideologies. For this cases, therefore, the behavior of the two groups i.e. in-group and out-group reinforces the attitudes towards each other. For example, there are predominantly white areas and predominantly black areas in USA. In fact, there are states that are predominantly homogenous in terms of race. What happens in terms of policy conditions one to become racists or not.
One gets the negative and the positive attitudes towards him reinforced. In this case the Blacks feel betrayed and hence would not want to be associated with the oppressors-the Whites ; while the Whites do not want to be associated with the oppressed the Blacks as they are labeled as thieves and without disciplines. The government in this case is positively reinforcing the negative feeling so the Blacks while at the same times reinforcing positively the superior feeling of the white people voluntarily. Such creates and fuels racist behaviors. The response should have been done in equal measure as if it had hit a white dominated city.
There are other conditioning that occur in the America to reinforce racism. Consider the current case of police killing black in different regions of America. The police tends to use unnecessary force leading to death of Blacks with impunity. What happened in Ferguson’s and the case of Eric Garner (Doug Porter, 2014) are currently cussing uproar not only in America but also in the world. The Blacks are been reinforced that they can be killed by the police and no one shall be charged. There are very few cases of the police manhandling the Whites all over America. For this reason, there has been a negative attitude from the Whites that labels the Blacks uncivilized and more prone to criminal behaviors than them. Such attitudes makes the Blacks to keep into their in-groups since it is the only sure ways of feeling safe in the largely unsafe American regions in terms of racist aspects.
It is common for the Blacks to come together and demonstrate as it is currently happening when one of them is oppressed. The end result is that the Blacks shall hate the Whites while the Whites shall hate the Blacks, such attitudes leads to behavioral conditioning of mistrusts and negativity in both races. The Jury decisions however logical maybe does not seem to protect the Blacks something that the Blacks have almost internalized up to todays. It seems that the behaviors towards the black is voluntary to oppress them and exploit them to the benefit of the white. Such reinforces the racist attitude between the two races in America.
In conclusion, the behaviors toward the Blacks in USA by the Whites and also the government agencies is voluntary enough to fuel racism. When there is no equal treatment in the face of laws, one group feels oppressed and hence would repeal the other.
Reference
Doug Porter (Dec. 4, 2014). I’m in San Diego and I Can’t Breathe. Retrieved from http://sandiegofreepress.org/2014/12/im-in-san-diego-and-i-cant-breathe/ on December 6, 2014.
Manie Bosman (2012). Your Racist Brain: The Neuroscience of Conditioned Racism. Retrieved on December 6, 2014 from http://www.strategicleadershipinstitute.net/news/your-racist-brain-the-neuroscience-of- conditioned-racism/
Bruce Tuckman (2009). Operant Conditioning. Retrieved on December 6, 2014 from http://www.education.com/reference/article/operant-conditioning/
