Racism as a Psychosocial Structure: Its Repercussions on Victims and on Those Who Practice It

An opinion article analyzing racism as a psychosocial system, not merely a negative attitude. It discusses psychological mechanisms such as dehumanization and implicit and explicit bias, and their effects on victims and perpetrators of racism in the short and long term. The author argues that racism succeeds when it becomes an acquired structure that legitimizes discrimination through culture and institutions.

An opinion article discussing racism as an integrated psychosocial system, not merely an individual negative attitude. The author argues that racism produces profound effects on both the racist and their group, as well as the victim and their group. The article explains the psychological mechanisms underlying racist behavior, such as fear of the different and the desire to enhance status, and their development into dehumanization of others. It points out that racism succeeds when it transforms from an individual attitude into an acquired psychosocial structure that legitimizes discrimination through culture and institutions. The article lists short- and long-term effects on the individual and the targeted group, such as psychological distress and social marginalization, but does not cite any studies or real-world examples.