In this clip, a social experiment is being conducted to see people’s reaction to three teenagers trying to steal a bike. The three actors stage a bike theft in a public park. The actors were a white guy, black guy and a white lady. All of them are about the same age and are carrying the same tools of burglary. The two young men are wearing similar clothes. The burglary act was set around the same time of the day and the teenagers are seen trying to break off the lock of the bike.

However, people’s reactions are very different on the three actors. The white guy was the first and many of the people going through the park just stared at him and went on with their business. Though a few people stopped to ask him if it was his bike, none apprehended him when he said that it was not his bike. Some argued that they were to call the police later. However, when the black actor tried the same, everybody seemed to be concerned about what he was doing and apprehended him. Several people even called the police and other took pictures as evidence. The young lady then tried the same method. Most of the men passing by offered their help to help even without consulting whether the bike was hers. One of the guys even offered to help her steal the bike.

This variation in people’s reactions illustrates racial profiling. Racial profiling is the usage of one’s race or ethnicity to make a judgment or a decision. The people passing by most of them white are so much concerned that the black guy is stealing the bike than they are when the white guy does the same. Even some black women gives the white guy the benefit of doubt that maybe he works in the public park.  Most of the men who offer to help the white lady do not even ask if the bike belongs to her. In their mind, the lady must be in trouble and is not a thief.

The first impressions instituted in the society are that there is a high probability that in such a scenario, the black guy is stealing and the white guy is given the benefit of doubt. The fact that nobody gives the black actor the benefit of doubt reinforces this point. The black actor has a negative first impression based on the scenario while the two white actors have a positive first impression. This is a dangerous perspective adopted by this society. There are social classes based on skin color.

Do you need an Original High Quality Academic Custom Essay?