American Jews and Anti-Semitism

Nearly ten years ago, 100 students at Princeton University were asked to select from a list of adjectives those that were most typically characteristic of Jews and they agreed quite gener ally upon the following: shrewd, mer cenary, industrious, grasping, intelli gent, ambitious, and sly.1 There was somewhat less agreement on the des ignations: loyal to family ties, per sistent, talkative, aggressive, and very religious.Less than two years ago, the same exercise2 * * was assigned 100 Negro students at Virginia State College.With somewhat less agreement they characterized Jews as being progres sive, shrewd, ambitious, grasping, in dustrious, very religious, intelligent, deceitful, brilliant, loyal to family ties.Thus, college students seem to show no hesitency in describing such a con cept as " the Jew."What is more, a group of white students and a group of Negro students at different times and in different localities, show consider able agreement about such a concep tualized idea or stereotype.How does this come about?How is it related to actual face-to-face contacts and other experiences?How does it feel to be the butt of such prejudices?How are such attitudes to be understood? E vidences of A n t i-semitismOur information about attitudes to ward Jews in the United States comes 1

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