Önyarg

Önyarg is a term referring to a preconceived judgment or biased attitude toward people or groups, typically formed without adequate evidence. In Turkish-language usage, the standard noun is önyargı, but önyarg is sometimes encountered as an alternative form or shorthand. The concept is studied in psychology and sociology as prejudice, a negative or positive orientation toward others that is not necessarily based on experience. Prejudice often has cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions: stereotypes (cognitive), feelings of dislike or fear (affective), and discriminatory actions (behavioral). Prejudices can be explicit, consciously held, or implicit, activated automatically by situational cues.

Common targets include race, ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, age, disability, and social class. Prejudice arises from a mix of individual factors—personal experiences, cognitive biases such as confirmation bias—and social factors, including family socialization, cultural norms, and perceived group threat. Structural factors, such as unequal access to resources, can reinforce prejudiced attitudes and discrimination.

Measurement often combines self-reported attitudes with implicit measures that assess automatic associations. Reducing önyarg involves strategies like intergroup contact under favorable conditions, education that counters stereotypes, perspective-taking exercises, and policies that promote equality and minority inclusion.

See also: discrimination, stereotypes, bias, prejudice reduction, intergroup contact.