Are the tenets of eugenics affecting how we learn socially which would shape our social norms? As humans we do live in societies, and we do learn from each other as part of the process of living. Socialization and social learning cannot be denied as significant influences on life processes where we learn from each other and grow or where we learn from each other and we otherize. On some level, we might see our human compass bending our moral consciousness to otherize people. This may be mixed-in with how we are socialized and the fact that we are divided into races of people. Since we are in “races of people” we may be compelled to admit historically there has been discussion, if not activity, that swelled into a movement of superiority and inferiority. The outcome has been witnessed over the last several centuries revealing that as a people we have lived in a hierarchical, if not a caste system. In either system, only members of the highest caste or top of the hierarchy decide what criteria measures are used to place whomever wherever. A western university participated in a feasibility study concerning historical context about people and how people have evolved to think about each other. The results emphasizes the importance of modeling positive behaviors, challenging harmful norms, and fostering environments that reinforce equity and belonging. By addressing the historical social contexts in which these attitudes are learned, we can work toward meaningful change.
McAdams-Jones et al. (Thu,) studied this question.