Question

Distinguish between prejudice and discrimination. Give examples to support your answer.

Answer 1

Prejudice refers to preconceived opinions or attitudes towards a particular group of people based on stereotypes, biases, or generalizations. It involves making judgments about individuals without knowing them personally. For example, someone might hold a prejudice against a certain race, assuming that all members of that race possess certain negative traits.

Discrimination, on the other hand, involves the unfair or unequal treatment of individuals or groups based on their perceived differences. It is the action or behavior that stems from prejudice. Discrimination can occur in various forms, such as denying someone a job opportunity, unequal pay, or refusing service based on their race, gender, or other characteristics. For instance, if a restaurant refuses to serve customers from a particular ethnic background, that would be an example of discrimination.

To summarize, prejudice refers to biased attitudes or opinions, while discrimination is the act of treating someone unfairly based on those biases. Both prejudice and discrimination can have harmful effects and contribute to inequality in society. It's important to promote understanding, empathy, and equality to combat these issues.

Answer 2

Prejudice refers to a preconceived negative attitude toward members of a group, while discrimination includes actions taken against them based on prejudices. Examples of prejudice include having a belief in a stereotype without acting on it, and examples of discrimination include not hiring someone based on their perceived ethnic background.

Step-by-step explanation:

Prejudice is an unjustified or incorrect attitude (usually negative) towards an individual based solely on the individual’s membership of a social group. For example, a person may hold prejudiced views towards a certain race or gender etc. (e.g. sexist).

Discrimination is the behavior or actions, usually negative, towards an individual or group of people, especially on the basis of sex/race/social class, etc. For example, a person may discriminate against another person due to their racial background or religious beliefs.

• Prejudice example: A person believes that their co-workers from another country are lazy, based on stereotypes, but has not behaved negatively towards them.
• Discrimination example: A hiring manager does not interview a qualified candidate because their name sounds foreign.

In both cases, prejudice and discrimination can have detrimental effects on the targeted groups, leading to outcomes such as social exclusion, economic disadvantage, and emotional distress. It's important to be aware of the distinction between these concepts to effectively address and combat them in society.