Question

Fter the events of 9/11, some americans began boycotting arab-american stores and lashing out at any person they perceived as middle eastern. this behavior is best explained in terms of:

Answer 1

After the events of 9/11, some Americans began boycotting Arab-American stores and lashing out at any person they perceived as middle eastern. This behavior is best explained in terms of Prejudice and stereotyping.

Answer 2

I would give it two names:

Prejudice and stereotyping: while people don't know the actual American Arab Americans, they associated them with the perpetrators of the attacks.

The scapegoat theory: the tendency to blame others for problems they did not cause. So while the specific Arab Americans did not cause the attacks, they are being associated with them.