Perception in a Diverse World

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A few generations ago, people may have gone months without coming into contact with someone from a different village or neighborhood. A wheelchair-bound child may have been unable to attend public schools. And in parts of this country, white and black Americans were not permitted to sit at the same lunch counter. Today, people from all walks of life learn, work, and play together. And through technology, we can communicate with others across vast distances. A student in Louisville, Kentucky, can chat online with a student from Bangladesh. A salesperson in Omaha, Nebraska, may work full time with clients in Tokyo. Such diversity is inextricably linked to our perceptions.