Final answer:
Prejudice is an opinion formed beforehand without all facts and is usually a negative, preconceived judgment about a group of people, often based on stereotypes.
Step-by-step explanation:
An opinion or judgment that is formed before all the facts are known, which is usually preconceived and unfavorable, is known as prejudice. This bias is based on flawed assumptions about a group of people. Prejudice is not grounded in personal experience but is rather a preconceived judgment that generalizes about individuals based on their membership in a group, without considering their individual characteristics. It often relies on stereotypes, which are overgeneralized beliefs applied to all members of a group.
For instance, holding a prejudiced attitude that older adults are slow and incompetent is a hasty generalization and fails to recognize the diverse capabilities of individuals within that age group. These biased thoughts can lead to behavior that preserves established knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and hypotheses, further perpetuating unjust discrimination.