Final answer:
People are more likely to discriminate when they hold strong prejudices and believe that others share these views. This is affected by both explicit and implicit attitudes, stemming from stereotypes and social norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
People are more likely to discriminate when they are high on prejudice and believe that others hold similar views. This tendency is underpinned by a desire to conform to what they perceive as a societal norm. It is facilitated by the presence of stereotypes, which are oversimplified ideas about groups of people.
Prejudice refers to thoughts and feelings based on group membership, whereas discrimination refers to corresponding actions. Numerous studies, including those related to implicit racial prejudice, have demonstrated that prejudices, even when not explicitly acknowledged, can significantly affect perception and behavior.
It is important to understand that besides explicit attitudes, which are conscious, we also hold implicit attitudes that we may be unaware of, yet they influence our actions.