Propinquity and AAPI's

In Response to, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California:

How Higher Education Diversity Benefits Our Communities.”

The article explains of diversity and how beneficial affirmative action can be for not only AAPI’s but the higher public education system as well. Diversity is argued to be more beneficial to college students because it lowers prejudicial attitudes makes intergroup relations better. From first hand experience, I find this overall idea to be quite true. Coming from Phoenix, Arizona, a predominantly white city, to Davis made my entire view of ethnic people change because of something I can only describe as culture shock. I had become so accustomed to constantly being surrounded by white people that anything close to ethnic diversity was ridiculous. However, after being around other Asian Americans, I feel much more enculturated and more open to people of other ethnicities. Which leads me to agree with the idea of propinquity, which is simply the idea that whoever you are in contact with more often, you are more likely to befriend. By being in a more diverse environment, and encountering people of different ethnicities, prejudice and discrimination are much less likely. Furthermore, your own opinion of these people is more accurate and not influenced by stereotypes. 

                            

While googling Propinquity, I found this picture of Jim and Dwight who are completely different people, but demonstrate the propinquity effect perfectly. 

Question: Do you agree with the idea of Propinquity? How might propinquity have negative effects on the majority group?

Aaron Handa

Section A02