The New York Times reported on studies showing some of the conditions in which having a roommate of a different race could improve attitudes.

What was particularly interesting in the study by Shook and Fazio (20 was that at the same time there were decreases in prejudice there was a greatly likelihood that interracial roommates would have difficulties.

I wonder how many universities randomly assign freshman roommates and how many assign based on common interests (often code words for race or ethnicity)? Do those schools that let students self-select roommates do so because they are unwilling or unable to handle the side-effects of cross-cultural pairings? Then do those same schools wonder why there are not better relations among different groups?

Pettigrew, T.F., & Tropp, L.R. (2006). A meta-analytic test of intergroup contact theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 90, 751–783.

Shook, N. J., & Fazio, R. H. (2008). Interracial roommate relationships: An experimental test of the contact hypothesis. Psychological Science, 19, 717-723.

I recommend an essay by a former colleague of Professor Gates, Stanley Fish. What caught my attention particularly was that Fish made the connection between the Gates incident and the obsession of some that President Obama is not a US citizen.

(I realize this may be futile, but if as you read this you are questioning President Obama’s citizenship, please read Fish’s column, or this frequently recommended summary. You might also ask why there was not a similar uproar over Senator McCain’s eligibility for the presidency, given that he was born in Panama.)

I found an interesting site called Stop Dog Whistle Racism. Dog whistle racism uses the analogy to a dog whistle that operates at a frequency beyond human perception. The human analogy is supposed to be to code words that are recognized by those who agree with the underlying racism. The Dog Whistle web site further defines this use of code words to be symbolic racism.

Symbolic racism has a slightly different but related meaning within social psychology. There have been several types of more subtle racism defined and measured, and one is symbolic racism, introduced by Sears and colleagues (e.g., see Henry & Sears, 2002). Symbolic racism is characterized by these beliefs:

racial discrimination is no longer a serious obstacle to blacks’ prospects for a good life; that blacks’ continuing disadvantages are due to their own unwillingness to take responsibility for their lives; and that, as a result, blacks’ continuing anger about their own treatment, their demands for better treatment, and the various kinds of special attention given to them are not truly justified (Henry & Sears, 2002, p. 254).

Similar in concept to symbolic racism is modern racism (e.g., McConahay et al., 1981), and McConahay (1986) also developed a Modern Racism Scale. (A parallel measure for sexism has been developed by Swim et al., [1995]). All these terms and accompanying measures are based on the idea that modern racism is more subtle and less oriented around overt discriminatory actions.

References
Henry, P. J. & Sears, D. O. (2002). The Symbolic Racism 2000 Scale. Political Psychology, 23 (2), 253-283.
McConahay, J. B. (1986). Modern racism, ambivalence, and the Modern Racism Scale. In J. F. Dovidio & S. L. Gaertner (Eds.), Prejudice, discrimination, and racism (pp. 91-125). Orlando, FL: Academic Press
McConahay, J. B., Hardee, B. B., & Batts, V. (1981). Has racism declined in America? It depends upon
who is asking and what is asked. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 25, 563-579.
Swim, J. K., Aikin, K. J., Hall, W. S., & Hunter, B. A. (1995). Sexism and racism: Old-fashioned and modern prejudices. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68(2), 199-214.

The classic of the three is Professors as Writers by Robert Boice. This is my least favorite, but I feel a bit guilty because Boice’s research was crucial in clearly showing that writing every day, with contingencies attached, works. Perhaps a better way to characterize Boice’s book is that it might be best as a guide for someone working with a nonproductive writer (as Boice himself has done). My impression is that someone already overwhelmed and anxious about the lack of written output might not be able to digest or carry out the book’s plan without supervision and encouragement.

My favorite for writing style and getting to the point is Paul Silvia’s How to Write a Lot. In the first few chapters, Silvia focuses on the main behaviors that need to occur (write regularly using a plan, and stick to your schedule), and he has a particularly engaging way of keeping one’s attention. For example, when discussing typical excuses for not writing, he uses grant writing to contradict the notion that a writer must “feel like it”:

Some kinds of writing are so unpleasant that no normal person will ever feel like doing them….Who wakes up in the morning with an urge to write about “Specific Aims” or “Consortium/Contractual Arrangements” (pp. 25-26).

The second half of this short book focuses on specific types of writing and how to submit for publication. Although not quite as humorous as the beginning of the book, these chapters would be particularly useful for beginning professional writers in psychology.

Silvia’s book deservedly has gained the most attention recently (e.g., here, here, here, and here), but some reviewers (and commenters) still chafe at the basic prescription. Is there really no such thing as writer’s block? Can people tolerate being scheduled? Is it really applicable outside psychology? Boice’s research clearly supports his own and Silvia’s recommendations.

Write to the Top! by W. Brad Johnson and Carol A. Mullen is more in the Silvia style, with humorous looks at all the excuses academics use to avoid writing. It also has a wider range of suggestions and coping mechanisms to survive in academia in general while still accomplishing the goal of writing more. But the wider range also diffuses the central points on writing productivity. I also do not understand the title (maybe I missed the explanation somewhere in the book) and I definitely do not like the exclamation point.

My quibbles aside, all three books are worth reading. Impatient and looking for quick improvement? Read Silvia first. Struggling in academia in general, not just with the writing part of the job? Read Johnson and Mullen first. Mentoring a struggling writer? Read Boice yourself but give Silvia or Johnson and Mullen as an assignment.

Boice, B. (1990). Professors as writers. Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press.
Johnson, W. B., & Mullen, C. A. (2007). Write to the top! New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Silvia, P. J. (2007). How to write a lot. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

I did tell them that at the time the ad was widely viewed as racist, and that in addition to the target of the ad, Dukakis, expressing outrage, the Bush campaign also distanced itself from the ad.

In class on Monday I plan to show them the latest ad controvery, an ad for Hillary Clinton that is called “Children” on the Clinton website but has been referred to more popularly as the “3 a.m.” ad (the Clinton web site description of the ad reads “When the call comes at 3 a.m. in the White House, who do you want answering the phone?”).

After discussion of this ad, I will then show a segment from the MSNBC program Hardball discussing whether the 3 a.m. ad is racist. The reaction from the commentators (including a faculty member) suggest that both race and gender were playing a role in the interpretation of this ad.

The article mentions the famous case of Rosemary Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy, who was left permanently disabled after a lobotomy, and also features an interview with one of Freeman’s patients.

This program will be shown locally on WQED at 9 p.m. on Monday January 21.  The documentary is based on a biography of Freeman by Jack El-Hai, a book that is on my list to read.

I’d love to answer any questions you have about the start of the fall semester.

Also remember that the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (November 21) follows a Friday schedule and that there are no classes on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 22).