Final answer:
Prejudice refers to negative opinions about people based on their group membership and often stems from stereotypes. It can lead to discrimination, which includes unfair treatment and inequality. Education and positive interactions can help reduce these biases and promote equality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prejudice, also called bias, means having negative opinions about individuals because they belong to certain cultural or ethnic groups. Prejudice is based on stereotypes, which are overgeneralized beliefs about members of a group. For example, cultural stereotypes might include viewing Asian Americans as cold and intelligent or Latinos as cold and less intelligent. This negative bias can lead to discrimination, which are negative actions towards individuals because of their group membership. Discrimination can result in individuals being excluded or treated unfairly in various social settings including education and employment, further promoting inequality.
Examples of discriminations are plentiful historically, such as signs barring the entrance to people of specific nationalities or the mandated use of separate facilities during periods of racial segregation. Unfortunately, stereotypes and prejudice can lead to institutional discrimination and the perpetuation of social inequalities. Moreover, prejudiced attitudes can develop through societal norms or personal experiences that people incorrectly generalize to an entire group. Even positive beliefs can result in preferential treatment, which is another form of bias known as in-group favoritism.
To move beyond prejudice, it is important for people to engage in education and positive interactions with members of various groups. Reducing anxiety associated with inter-group interactions and increasing empathy can make great strides towards reducing prejudice and discrimination across societies.