Remember the Titans

            Most all movies, as in most of all things or behaviors in life, depict social psychology. In movies, whether they are depicting racism, prosocial behavior, altruism, or even aggression, there is a fundamental theme or life lesson to be learned. The movie Remember the Titans, deals with the issue of racism, and illustrates how one can overcome prejudice by uniting for a common cause or goal. During the course of this film, I saw many social behaviors at work that dealt with racism and discrimination, and trying as a football team to socially triumph over those difficulties.
             In brief, the film is about a Virginia high school in the 1970's that is forced to admit black students, with a focus on the school's football team. Denzel Washington plays Coach Herman Boone, the new black football coach, which causes a fury among white parents and students. At the school's football camp, tension builds between the white and black players, but through Coach Boone's leadership, the team comes together, and slowly unites the entire community.
             Prior to football training camp, both the black and white students came with a prejudice and stereotype of the other race, causing much discrimination, as well as verbal and physical conflicts between the teammates. The idea of social learning view (of prejudice), gives one explanation of how the teammates obtained their prejudices. Through the views and observations of their parents, teachers, and friends" behaviors, negative attitudes were acquired. They learned the behavior of prejudice and discrimination was the appropriate social norms to follow. For instance, in the cafeteria during football camp, at first, blacks and whites would sit at separate tables - a social norm no one dared to break for fear of exclusion from their friends. It was not normal in their society for the two races to interact and sit together, or even to enter the same restaurant establishment.