Tokenism At first glance, tokenism can look like progress. A school, company, or public group may proudly show that it has included someone...

Tokenism

At first glance, tokenism can look like progress. A school, company, or public group may proudly show that it has included someone from an underrepresented community. However, tokenism is not the same as genuine inclusion. According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, tokenism is a symbolic or perfunctory gesture that creates the impression of fairness or commitment, especially when only one person from a previously excluded group is hired or promoted.

The problem is not simply about small numbers. In some cases, a person is brought in less for their ideas or ability than for what they appear to represent. They may be treated as visible proof that the institution is “changing,” even when deeper habits remain untouched. Because of this, tokenism often functions as a surface-level solution. It may reduce criticism for a while, yet it does little to challenge the structures that caused exclusion in the first place.

For the individual involved, the experience can be exhausting. Instead of being seen as a full person, they may feel pressure to speak for an entire group, avoid mistakes, and constantly prove that they belong. Their presence becomes highly noticeable, but their real influence may stay limited. This contradiction can create isolation: they are included enough to be displayed, but not enough to be fully heard.

Real inclusion asks for more than appearance. It means opening access, sharing decision-making power, and building environments where different people can contribute without being turned into symbols. A single appointment, photo, or campaign cannot achieve that by itself. In the end, tokenism is troubling because it imitates equality without truly practicing it, and that imitation can delay meaningful change.

[Adapted from APA Dictionary of Psychology]

Question 23: According to paragraph 1, tokenism is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT __________.

A. symbolic hiring practices        B. genuine commitment to fairness

C. perfunctory social gestures        D. inclusion of excluded groups

Question 24: The word “imitates” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to __________.

A. shows        B. copies        C. achieves        D. values

Question 25: The word “perfunctory” in paragraph 1 is OPPOSITE in meaning to __________.

A. careful        B. symbolic        C. public        D. excluded

Question 26: The word “imitation” in paragraph 4 refers to __________.

A. the achievement of a single campaign        B. the practice of turning people into symbols

C. the act of sharing decision-making power        D. the appearance of equality in tokenism

Question 27: Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?

A. Were they not showcased for the sake of appearance, their voices would be more likely to gain the institution's attention.

B. Only by being fully heard within the organization can individuals avoid the isolation caused by being displayed as tokens.

C. Such a paradox results in loneliness because their physical presence is utilized for show while their actual input is ignored.

D. Had the institution valued their influence as much as their visibility, the feeling of being a symbolic representative would have increased.

Question 28: In which paragraph does the author discuss the institutional motivation for using tokenism as a defensive strategy against negative feedback?

A. Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 2        C. Paragraph 3        D. Paragraph 4

Question 29: According to paragraph 3, what is a primary source of exhaustion for individuals in token positions?

A. The requirement to lead large-scale decision-making processes.

B. The lack of visibility and recognition from the public.

C. The burden of representing their entire community's identity.

D. The physical demands of attending multiple public campaigns.

Question 30: In which paragraph does the author outline the fundamental requirements for achieving authentic organizational diversity?

A. Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 2        C. Paragraph 3        D. Paragraph 4