Define risk aversion and explain how this concept applies to perceptions of social changes that could result in greater racial equality for both whites and blacks

What will be an ideal response?

Risk aversion causes people to weigh possible losses more heavily than equivalent potential gains. It's possible that whites will perceive greater equality from the standpoint of a potential "loss" for their group—compared to their historically privileged position. Whites will therefore respond to additional movement toward equality more negatively, and suppose that more change has already occurred, than will blacks. In contrast, if we assume that blacks are likely to see greater equality as a potential "gain" for them—compared to their historically disadvantaged position—then change toward increased equality will be experienced as a positive. But, if a "possible loss" evokes more intense emotion than a "possible gain," then increased equality should be more negative for whites than the same increased equality is positive for blacks.