Minard carried out an study of the interactions in the minefields of a small town in the Southern United States where he found that below ground where the social norm was to be friendly to coworkers more white miners were friendly to black miners. Above ground where the social norm was more prejudiced behavior, less white miners were friendly to their black counterparts. While today prejudice is not as candid as a social norm, this study still applies. The divide that prejudice causes leaves an “us and them” mindset in groups that encourages people of different backgrounds to stay together. Furthermore, the competitive nature in terms of jobs, education, and opportunities in general today, increases the divide between different groups because of that initial mindset of “us and them” which then progresses to “us versus them.” Hence, covert prejudice is taught at a young age due to an expectation to compete immediately. In terms of different racial backgrounds, the mindset can also be picked up due to where children are brought up. In neighborhoods today, there is usually a predominant race that lives in the area. These children grow up around one another which makes them more familiar with each
