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Prejudice vs. Discrimination

The main difference among prejudice and discrimination is that prejudice has to do with the inflexible and irrational attitudes and opinions held by members of one group about another, while discrimination refers to behaviors directed against another group.

Key Differences

The cognitive and effective components of attitude utilized to prejudice. On the contrary, the conduct towards other people, i.e., the behavioral component applies to discrimination.
Harlon Moss
Apr 30, 2019
As long as prejudice is a pessimistic attitude about an individual or a particular group. As opposed to discrimination, unfair behavior about an individual or group.
Prejudice is a consequence of lack of knowledge, information, ignorance and stereotyping. As against this, prejudice leads to discrimination.
Prejudice is the abstract misapprehension, only in mind. Conversely, when the prejudice put into action, it is called discrimination.
One can make legal actions against discrimination but not against prejudice.
Prejudice is an extravagant and gratuitous attitude towards an individual only because of his belonging in a social group. The inequitable or negative treatment of a person or a group from other people because he/she belongs to a particular class, group or category is called discrimination.
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Prejudice is a reliance which involves the formation of opinion and interpretation about someone or something in advance. On the other hand, discrimination encompasses the translation of these opinions and interpretation and putting them into actions.
Harlon Moss
Apr 30, 2019
Prejudice is constantly non-attentive and automatic whereas discrimination can be conscious and non-conscious.
Janet White
Apr 30, 2019

Comparison Chart

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Prejudice is an unreasonable and indefensible attitude towards an individual only because of his membership in a social group.
Discrimination relates to the unjust or negative handling of a person or a group from other people because he/she belongs to a particular class, group or category.

Represents

Belief
Action

Caused by

Stereotyping
Prejudice

Component

Cognitive and Effective
Behavioral
Harlon Moss
Apr 30, 2019
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What is it?

Abstract misapprehension, only in mind.
Expression of prejudice.
Aimie Carlson
Apr 30, 2019

Nature

Non-conscious
Conscious and Non-conscious
Aimie Carlson
Apr 30, 2019

Involves

The negative attitude towards an individual or group.
Unfair behavior towards an individual or group.

Legal Action

Cannot be taken against it.
Can be taken against it.
Aimie Carlson
Apr 30, 2019

Prejudice and Discrimination Definitions

Prejudice

The act or state of holding unreasonable preconceived judgments or convictions
“This is not actually a volume of the best short stories … These are just the stories that I like best, and I am full of prejudice and strong opinions” (Ann Patchett).

Discrimination

The act of discriminating.
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Prejudice

An adverse judgment or opinion formed unfairly or without knowledge of the facts
A boy with a prejudice against unfamiliar foods.

Discrimination

The ability or power to see or make fine distinctions; discernment.

Prejudice

Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular social group, such as a race or the adherents of a religion.

Discrimination

Treatment or consideration based on class or category, such as race or gender, rather than individual merit; partiality or prejudice.

Prejudice

Detriment or harm caused to a person, especially in a legal case
The delay operated to her prejudice.

Discrimination

Discernment, the act of discriminating, discerning, distinguishing, noting or perceiving differences between things, with the intent to understand rightly and make correct decisions.

Prejudice

Preclusionary effect, preventing further pursuit of one's interests
The case was dismissed with prejudice.

Discrimination

Differential treatment of an individual or group to their disadvantage; treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than individual merit; partiality; prejudice; bigotry.
Sexual or racial discrimination
Reverse discrimination

Prejudice

To fill with prejudice or cause to judge with prejudice
My rural upbringing has prejudiced me against living in the city.

Discrimination

(uncountable) The quality of being discriminating; acute discernment, especially in matters of good taste.

Prejudice

To affect detrimentally or harmfully by a judgment or act
Negative media coverage prejudiced people's opinion of the mayor.

Discrimination

That which discriminates; a distinguishing mark, a characteristic.

Prejudice

(countable) An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge of the facts.

Discrimination

The act of discriminating, distinguishing, or noting and marking differences.
To make an anxious discrimination between the miracle absolute and providential.

Prejudice

(countable) A preconception, any preconceived opinion or feeling, whether positive or negative.

Discrimination

The state of being discriminated, distinguished, or set apart.

Prejudice

(countable) An irrational hostile attitude, fear or hatred towards a particular group, race or religion.
I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally.

Discrimination

The arbitrary imposition of unequal tariffs for substantially the same service.
A difference in rates, not based upon any corresponding difference in cost, constitutes a case of discrimination.

Prejudice

(obsolete) Knowledge formed in advance; foresight, presaging.

Discrimination

The quality of being discriminating; faculty of nicely distinguishing; acute discernment; as, to show great discrimination in the choice of means.

Prejudice

Mischief; hurt; damage; injury; detriment.

Discrimination

That which discriminates; mark of distinction.

Prejudice

(transitive) To have a negative impact on (someone's position, chances etc.).

Discrimination

Unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice

Prejudice

(transitive) To cause prejudice in; to bias the mind of.

Discrimination

The cognitive process whereby two or more stimuli are distinguished

Prejudice

Misspelling of prejudiced

Prejudice

Foresight.
Naught might hinder his quick prejudize.

Prejudice

An opinion or judgment formed without due examination; prejudgment; a leaning toward one side of a question from other considerations than those belonging to it; an unreasonable predilection for, or objection against, anything; especially, an opinion or leaning adverse to anything, without just grounds, or before sufficient knowledge.
Though often misled by prejudice and passion, he was emphatically an honest man.

Prejudice

A bias on the part of judge, juror, or witness which interferes with fairness of judgment.

Prejudice

Mischief; hurt; damage; injury; detriment.
England and France might, through their amity,Breed him some prejudice.

Prejudice

To cause to have prejudice; to prepossess with opinions formed without due knowledge or examination; to bias the mind of, by hasty and incorrect notions; to give an unreasonable bent to, as to one side or the other of a cause; as, to prejudice a critic or a juryman.
Suffer not any beloved study to prejudice your mind so far as to despise all other learning.

Prejudice

To obstruct or injure by prejudices, or by previous bias of the mind; hence, generally, to hurt; to damage; to injure; to impair; as, to prejudice a good cause.
Seek how may prejudice the foe.

Prejudice

A partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation

Prejudice

Disadvantage by prejudice

Prejudice

Influence (somebody's) opinion in advance

Prejudice vs. Discrimination

Prejudice has to do with the rigid and irrational attitudes and opinions held by members of one group about another, while discrimination refers to behaviors directed against another group. Prejudice contains all three parts of an attitude (effective, behavioral and cognitive), whereas discrimination involves behavior. Being prejudiced usually means having intentional beliefs about groups of people or cultural practices. Prejudices can either be positive or negative—both forms are usually preconceived and difficult to alter. In the search sense, prejudice is a preconceived opinion, without any information or reason, whereas discrimination refers to the unfair treatment of the different category of people, on various grounds like age, race or gender.

What is Prejudice?

Prejudice is a preconceived, unreasonable idea or feeling, especially a hostile one, about a particular ethnic, racial, social, or religious group. Prejudice is a groundless and typically negative attitude that an individual can hold toward someone else, or the members of a certain group. These feelings translated into action by discriminating against the person or members of the target group. It is irrational, the preconceived opinion that leads to preferential treatment to some people and unfavorable bias or hostility against others, due to ignorance (or in direct contradiction) of facts. Prejudice means, pre-judgment. Prejudice can also relate to unfounded or pigeonholed beliefs, and it may include “any unreasonable attitude that is unusually resistant to rational influence. If someone prejudices another person’s situation, they do something which makes it worse than it should be. Individual prejudiced opposing others based on factors such as race, age, gender, sexual orienteering, class status, religion, and nationality, among other things. Some of the more usual prejudice examples comprise:

  • Racism
  • Sexism
  • Homophobia
  • Religious prejudice
  • Ageism
  • Nationalism
  • Classicism

What is Discrimination?

Discrimination is the action of making a distinction between one thing and other. Discrimination defined as distinguishing differences between things or treating someone as inferior based on their race, sex, national origin, age or other characteristics. We discriminate between things daily. Discrimination is the irregular or unfair treatment of a person based upon some personal characteristic. It is a distinction based on the personal characteristics of an individual resulting in some disadvantage to that individual. If you have been processed differently from other people only because of who you are or because you possess certain characteristics, you may have been distinguishing or discriminated. Discrimination can occur in the following forms:

  • Direct Discrimination: when a person with a protecting characteristic is treated less favorably than others, it is direct discrimination.
  • Indirect Discrimination: If there is a control or policy in the workplace that puts you at a disadvantage as compared to others, it may be considered indirect discrimination.
  • Discrimination by Perception: Acceptance unfair treatment because someone thinks you belong to a group with protected characteristics, you may be experiencing discrimination by perception.
  • Discrimination by Association: If you are treated below the belt because someone you know or are associated with has a protected characteristic, this construed as discrimination by association.
  • Harassment: Harassment includes unwanted behavior that makes another person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated.
  • Victimization: When a person is treated badly or subjected to a detriment because they complained about discrimination or supported another victim of discrimination.

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