Final answer:
Individuals who are a statistical minority within a particular setting are referred to as tokens. These individuals are a part of a minority group that faces differential and unequal treatment due to their distinguishing characteristics, leading them to be marginalized in society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Individuals who are a statistical minority within a particular setting are referred to as tokens. This term often applies to situations where an individual is a visible representative of a minority group in a predominantly homogeneous setting, such as a workplace. According to Sociologist Louis Wirth's definition, a minority group is "any group of people who, because of their physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from the others in the society in which they live for differential and unequal treatment, and who therefore regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination."
It is important to note that being a numerical minority does not necessarily make a group a minority group; it is the relative lack of power that characterizes a subordinate group. For example, during apartheid in South Africa, the Black majority population was oppressed by the White minority, illustrating that numerical majority does not equate to societal power or privilege.