Midterm Reflection Paper – ‘13th’ Documentary
Worth 150 points | Due Monday, February 27th by 11:59pm
Paper Requirements (Review Grading Rubric):
Paper must be formatted in APA style. The paper must be double-spaced, 12-point Times New
Roman font, and have 1-inch margins. You are not required to have either a title or reference page.
The paper must have at least 750 words but no more than 1500 words.
The vast majority of the information included in the paper must be paraphrased from the text or
documentary in your own words. Any material copied from the text must be in proper quoted
format per APA style.
o Papers with more than 10% of the word count consisting of quoted material will
automatically receive a 17-point grade deduction.
o Any plagiarism will result in a zero for the paper and will be officially reported. It is
the student’s responsibility to double-check this before the deadline.
Required Documentary: 13th (2016, Dir. Ava DuVernay, 100 min.; Netflix)
Students that do not have access to the film and cannot view the film at AUM on 2/16 are required
to contact me by 5pm on Monday, February 20th for other accommodations. Please note that the
paper deadline will not be extended due to this issue. Students should contact me right away.
I strongly recommended that you watch the documentary twice. Watch it once fully to take it all in. It can
be a lot to take in at once. Then, watch it again to pay special attention to details and quotes. You
should take notes of elements that you might want to include in your paper given the prompts.
Required Sections (Paper must include the following sections):
• Section 1: In the beginning of the paper, start off by describing your initial reaction after watching
13th. In other words, did you feel helpless, inspired, angry, stirred to action, or some combination?
Reflect and discuss why you think you felt this way.
• Sections 2-4: Next, include your answers for the student choice section prompts here (See the list
of choices on page 2). All papers must include answers to 3 of the prompt choices. Each
answer/discussion should be three separate paragraphs (i.e., sections) of the paper.
• Section 5: Next, include a section that discusses how the overall theme of the documentary also
applies to other minority groups (e.g., different sexual orientations, different gender identification
groups, and immigrants). Be sure to clearly explain how the themes and issues also pertain to the
other minority groups within this section and provide at least two examples.
• Section 6: At the conclusion of the paper, include a section for your personal reflections of
experience by discussing each the following prompts (Yes, all three prompts are required here):
o Describe how the documentary influenced your perception of the events described in the
documentary and explain why. If your perception was not influenced, explain why.
o What is the overall meaning or significance of the documentary to you, someone you
know, or society as a whole? What can be learned from this?
o Do you see yourself making any personal changes in your life after having watched the
documentary? If so, what kinds of changes? Be sure to think of the final quote in the
documentary when answering this question: “We are tolerating it.”
PSYC 3750: Psychology of Prejudice & Discrimination
(Spring 2023)
Student Choice Section Prompt Choices (paper must include at least 3):
• Discuss the how the movie “Birth of a Nation” was used to facilitate stereotype knowledge about
Black men and the Ku Klux Klan. Also discuss how the media has been used to continue to facilitate
stereotype knowledge about Black men since the movie “Birth of a Nation.” Answers must provide at
least one specificexample from current or recent events (i.e., within the last 5 years).
• Discuss how the concept of language transmission (Chapter 3) was and is continued to be used to
further stereotype knowledge of Black men as portrayed in this documentary. Answers must also
provide at least two specific examples from the documentary.
• Discuss the role that outgroup homogeneity (Chapter 3) could play in the events discussed in this
documentary. Answers must also provide at least two specific examples from the documentary.
• Discuss the role that the self-fulfilling prophecy (Chapter 4) may play in the events discussed in the
documentary. Answers must provide at least one specific example of how this was discussed in the
documentary.
• Discuss how the subtyping model (Chapter 4) may be working to maintain our stereotypes of Black
men and how media may play a role in this as well. Answers must provide at least one specificexample
from current or recent events (i.e., within the last 5 years).
• Discuss the how both old-fashioned prejudice and modern-symbolic prejudice (Chapter 5) are
discussed in this documentary. Answers must provide a specific example of how both types of prejudice
are highlighted in the documentary (i.e., two examples required).
• Discuss how at least two specific personal values or social ideologies discussed within Chapter 6 (i.e.,
value orientations, religion, authoritarianism, political orientation, etc.) may have a role in the events discussed
in this documentary. Answers must provide at least one example of how each social ideology discussed
within the answer is highlighted in the documentary (i.e., two examples required).
Late Submission Policy (See page 4 of syllabus):
• Late midterm reflection papers will be accepted until 11:59pm on Thursday, March 2nd with late point
deductions. Late submissions will be required to be submitted via email (cchavez@aum.edu).
o Midterm reflection papers turned in within 24 hours after the deadline (between 12am-11:59pm
on Tuesday, 2/28) will earn a 17-point deduction Highest possible score will be 89% (B+)
o Midterm reflection papers turned in within 48 hours after the deadline (between 12am-11:59pm
on Wednesday, 3/1) will earn a 31-point deduction Highest possible score will be 79% (C+)
o As a final option, any midterm reflection papers submitted between 12am and 11:59pm on
Thursday, 3/2 will earn a 75-point deduction Highest possible score will be 50% (F)
o Any papers submitted after 11:59pm on Thursday, March 2nd will only be considered in
approved emergency situations and will require verifiable proof. This arrangement must be
made via email with the instructor. All late papers will still be subject to the late penalties listed above
unless arrangements were made prior to the paper deadline.
Grading Information:
• See provided grading rubric Blackboard.
Introduction
The documentary “13th” directed by Ava DuVernay is a powerful movie that exposes the discriminatory policies and practices in the United States criminal justice system, particularly how these practices are used to target African Americans. The documentary raises critical questions about race, justice, and democracy in America. After watching the movie, I had a mix of emotions, including sadness, anger, and frustration. The following sections of this paper will discuss the prompts I have chosen and the lessons I have learned from the documentary.
Section 1: Initial Reaction
My initial reaction after watching the movie was that I felt helpless, angry, and frustrated. The documentary was a stark reminder of how the criminal justice system in America has been weaponized against black people. It is disappointing to learn that the people who are supposed to serve and protect us are perpetuating systematic injustices that marginalize and victimize specific groups of people. The documentary exposed the harsh reality of how racism is deeply rooted in America’s history, and it continues to be embedded in its institutions and policies. It is a wake-up call that we need to do more to address racial injustice and inequality in America.
Section 2: Stereotyping Black Men
The movie “Birth of a Nation” played a critical role in facilitating stereotype knowledge about black men and the Ku Klux Klan. The movie portrayed black men as violent, aggressive, and hypersexualized, while the KKK was portrayed as heroic figures who were defending the white race from the black menace. This portrayal was harmful to black people as it reinforced the stereotype of the dangerous black man. Unfortunately, this stereotype is still perpetuated in modern media, which continues to portray black men as criminals and thugs. A recent example is the killing of Trayvon Martin, where the media portrayed him as a violent criminal who deserved to die, despite being unarmed. This stereotype has led to the criminalization of black men, who are disproportionately incarcerated in the US criminal justice system.
Section 3: Outgroup Homogeneity
The documentary highlights the role that outgroup homogeneity plays in the criminalization of black people. Outgroup homogeneity is the tendency to see members of an outgroup as similar to each other and to see them as different from the ingroup. In the case of black people, they are viewed as a homogenous group that is inherently violent and criminal. This stereotype has led to the mass incarceration of black people, particularly black men, who are viewed as a threat to society. The documentary highlights how this stereotype has led to racial profiling, harsher sentencing, and the use of excessive force by law enforcement against black people.
Section 4: Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
The self-fulfilling prophecy is another concept discussed in the documentary. The self-fulfilling prophecy is the tendency to act in ways that confirm our expectations of a particular group. In the case of black people, the criminal justice system expects them to be violent and criminal, and this expectation becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The criminal justice system targets black people, leading to their incarceration, which, in turn, reinforces the stereotype that black people are criminals. The documentary highlights how the self-fulfilling prophecy perpetuates racial injustice and inequality in the criminal justice system.
Section 5: Minority Groups
The issues raised in the documentary are not unique to black people; they apply to other minority groups such as different sexual orientations, different gender identification groups, and immigrants. The criminal justice system has been used to target and discriminate against these groups, particularly immigrants who are disproportionately incarcerated in immigration detention centers. The documentary highlights how these groups are marginalized and victimized, just like black people. For example, the documentary highlights how the criminalization of homosexuality was used to marginalize and victimize the LGBTQ+
