Final answer:
Scapegoating is the act of blaming an innocent outgroup for one's own misfortunes. It is a social phenomenon that occurs when in-groups project blame onto out-groups, which can be linked to hate crimes and can result in discrimination and violence against those out-groups.
Step-by-step explanation:
Blaming an innocent outgroup for one's misfortunes is called scapegoating. This term refers to the act of blaming a group that is not part of one's own in-group (out-group) when frustrations or obstacles block one's goals or aspirations. Scapegoating is often rooted in prejudice and unfolds within the dynamics of in-groups and out-groups.
When an in-group experiences a threat or frustration, it may protect its self-concept by projecting blame onto an out-group, a process well-documented in historical and contemporary contexts, such as the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany or discrimination against immigrants.
Hate crimes are a severe manifestation of this dynamic, where individuals are targeted because they are perceived as belonging to an out-group. An understanding of scapegoating and in-group bias is essential for recognizing how stereotypes and prejudices are maintained and can lead to discrimination and violence against out-groups.