Factors in the development of racism and sexism. Contact between racial and ethnic groups is nearly as old as human life itself. People have always migrated from area to area. These migrations were for various reasons, but regardless of the reasons, these migrations resulted in contacts with different cultures. With contact, comes social visibility.
Society likes to categorize things, to include people.
The easiest way to categorize people is through obvious traits. Cultural habits such as what we eat, how we prepare meals, celebrations, what utensils we use, all can play a factor in social visibility differences. Whoever has the power can control resources and make policies. The group in control develops a feeling of superiority. Ethnocentrism is a belief that one s own ethnic group is superior to all other groups.