Question

7\. The behavior that accompanies the negative attitudes a person has toward a group or individual is referred to as: (A) stereotyping. (B) cultural relativism. (C) prejudice. (D) discrimination.

Short answer

D

Step-by-step solution

Understand the question

The question asks for the term that describes the behavior accompanying negative attitudes toward a group or an individual.

Review the options

The given options are: (A) stereotyping, (B) cultural relativism, (C) prejudice, and (D) discrimination.

Define the terms

1. Stereotyping refers to generalized beliefs about a particular group. 2. Cultural relativism is the practice of understanding a culture on its own terms. 3. Prejudice refers to negative attitudes towards a group or individual based on their membership in that group. 4. Discrimination refers to the behavior that accompanies prejudiced attitudes, often involving the unjust treatment of people based on their group membership.

Match the definition to the term

The definition of discrimination matches the given description: behavior accompanying negative attitudes toward a group or individual.

Choose the correct answer

The correct answer is (D) discrimination.

Key concepts

prejudice

Prejudice refers to the unfair and unreasonable opinions or feelings formed without any real evidence or experience. These negative attitudes are often directed towards a group or an individual simply because they belong to that group.
People who hold prejudices tend to make quick judgments based on superficial traits, like race, gender, or religion.
For example:

• A person might dislike someone else just because of their race, without knowing anything about them personally.
• Someone might believe that all members of a particular religion are bad, based solely on negative stories they've heard.

Prejudice is harmful as it creates divisions and can lead to unfair treatment and hostility. It's crucial to recognize our own biases to move towards a more inclusive and fair society.

stereotyping

Stereotyping involves making generalized assumptions about a group of people. These assumptions usually ignore individual variations and uniqueness.
Some common stereotypes are:

• Assuming everyone in a particular ethnic group behaves in the same way.
• Believing that people from a specific gender can only perform certain tasks.

Stereotyping can be dangerous as it oversimplifies and misrepresents the characteristics of individuals. It often leads to misunderstandings and unfair treatment.
For instance, thinking that all teenagers are irresponsible can impact how they are treated in work or social situations, disregarding many who are quite responsible.

cultural relativism

Cultural relativism is the idea that we should understand and evaluate cultural practices based on the culture's own norms and values, rather than imposing our own.
This concept encourages:

• Open-mindedness - Viewing cultural practices from the perspective of those within the culture.
• Respect - Avoiding quick judgments about other cultures.

For example, certain practices that might seem unusual or even wrong to one culture can be deeply significant in another.
Cultural relativism doesn't mean all cultural practices are equally valid, but it helps us understand them in context.
This approach promotes empathy and reduces ethnocentrism, which is the belief that one's own culture is superior to others.