prejudices

Prejudices are preformed judgments or opinions about members of social groups that are not based on fair evidence. They are attitudes, often negative, toward individuals because of characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or disability. While they can appear as generalizations, prejudices persist even when contrary information is encountered.

Stereotypes are beliefs about groups; prejudices are the evaluative attitudes that accompany those beliefs. Bias refers to a tendency to think in particular ways. Prejudices can manifest as discrimination, which is unequal treatment, but discrimination is a behavior while prejudice is an attitude that may motivate it.

Origins include socialization, cultural narratives, and in-group/out-group dynamics. Cognitive processes such as categorization, confirmation bias, and fear of ambiguity contribute. Implicit prejudices exist outside conscious awareness, and can be measured with tools like the implicit association test, though measurement has methodological limits.

Prejudices affect individuals and societies by reducing opportunities, fueling conflict, and producing microaggressions and systemic discrimination. They can also distort perception, hinder cooperation, and exacerbate social hierarchies. Addressing prejudices involves contact under conditions of equal status, education, perspective-taking, and policies that promote inclusion.

Scholars distinguish personal prejudice from institutional prejudice; both can persist despite laws. Reducing prejudices requires sustained efforts across education, media, and institutions, not just individual changes. Understanding sources of prejudice is a step toward more inclusive judgments and fairer social arrangements.