Page 301 - Discrimination at Work The Psychological and Organizational Bases

268
because of relations among race, socioeconomic status (SES), and expo­
sure to stressors.
Race and Socioeconomic Status STONE-ROMERO
There is strong and consistent evidence that Blacks and individuals from
selected other "minority" groups (e.g., Mexican Americans, American In­
dians) have much lower SES than do Whites (Abelda, Drago, & Shulman,
1997; Cohn, 2000; Kerbo, 1983; Williams & Williams-Morris, 2000; Yu &
Williams, 1999). For example, 2000 U.S. Census Bureau data reveal that
the percentages of individuals living below the poverty level were 9.1 for
Whites, 24.9 for Blacks, 22.6 for Hispanics or Latinos, and 25.7 for Ameri­
can Indians (Bishaw & Iceland, 2003). The relation between race and SES
is important because, as is demonstrated below, SES is strongly related to
both exposure to stressors and the physical and psychological strain that
results from such exposure. Thus, because race appears to have direct ef­
fects on SES, it will also have indirect effects on physical and psychological
strain.

Race and Occupational Attainment

One of the major indices of SES is occupation. Because of this, it is impor­
tant to consider the relation between race and occupational attainment.
Research shows clear evidence of a strong relation between these two vari­
ables (Kerbo, 1983). For instance, 2001 U.S. Census data show that relative
to Whites, Blacks and Hispanics tend to be grossly underrepresented in
high occupational status jobs (e.g., managerial, professional) and overrep­
resented in jobs at the lower end of the occupational status hierarchy (e.g.,
laborer, service occupations). This is important because it is generally the
case that the lower an individual's occupational status, the greater the
degree to which he or she will be exposed to aversive work conditions
(e.g., high levels of noise, heat, vibration, chemical toxins) and will mani­
fest signs of physical illness and psychological strain (Williams & Collins,
1995).

Socioeconomic Status, Exposure to Stressors, and Strain

There is strong and compelling evidence that the lower a person's SES, the
greater the degree to which he or she will be chronically exposed to environ­
mental stressors, including unemployment, poverty, ethnic prejudice and
discrimination, crime, residential congestion and crowding, aversive or
undesirable work environments, and barriers to occupational attainment