Protects individuals from systematic oppression from governments or other institutions and individuals. 

Civil and Political Rights

The quality of being discriminatory or prejudiced against those with disabilities.
Ableist behaviors can include stereotyping and devaluing people with disabilities or in some cases violence towards those with disabilities. 

Ableism (Disablism)

It is theorized that through the course of human evolution, humanity's tendency to form hunter-gatherer tribes around mutual group identities to be a critical part of why human beings continue to engage discrimination around these traits today.

Tribalism as a Precursor to Discrimination  

This node shows that Hispanics are the most underinsured population, and African Americans the second most. The Asian population and Caucasian populations have a much smaller rate of underinsurance.

Racial Discrimination in Health Care

Discrimination is present in systems that are designed to protect well-being and medical health. These systems include health care, housing, education, criminal justice and finance. Discrimination can lead to chronic stress and places those predisposed to social or economic disadvantages--namely racial or ethnic minority groups-- at a higher risk for COVID-19.

The Effect of Discrimination on Disadvantaged Populations During the Covid-19 Pandemic

In healthcare, discrimination occurs at both the individual and systemic level. The unjust actions that contribute to discrimination usually favors the powerful and wealthy population over the vulnerable and poor population. 


Discrimination in Healthcare

A historical example of discrimination based on nationality is a sign from the Nazi occupation of Poland, as depicted in Photograph A. The sign, written in German, states 'Zutritt für Polen verboten!', which translates to 'Entry for Poles forbidden!'. This exemplifies how discrimination can be formally implemented to restrict access to public spaces for a specific group of people.

Example of Discrimination: Nazi-era Sign Prohibiting Entry to Polish People

A real-world example of discrimination is the segregation of schools based on social class. Historically, access to private schools was often limited to children from wealthy families, while children from middle- and low-income backgrounds typically attended public schools, creating an unjustified distinction and unequal opportunities based on socioeconomic status.

Example of Discrimination: Social Class Segregation in Schools

A city ordinance is passed that prohibits individuals from gathering in public parks after 10 PM. The stated reason is to reduce late-night noise and vandalism. However, enforcement data shows that the ordinance is almost exclusively enforced against groups of teenagers, while adult groups gathering at the same time are consistently ignored by police. Which statement best analyzes this situation?

In 1939, during the era of racial segregation in the United States, discrimination was practiced by designating separate public facilities, such as 'colored' water fountains, forcing African-American individuals to use them instead of facilities meant for white individuals.

Example of Discrimination: Racial Segregation Water Fountain

Mary Whiton Calkins is a psychologist whose life provides an example of gender discrimination. In the late 1880s, when Harvard did not accept women, she was given special permission to attend graduate seminars there, and at one point was the sole student of the famous psychologist William James. She passed all the requirements needed for a PhD and was described by psychologist Hugo Münsterberg as “one of the strongest professors of psychology in this country.” However, Harvard refused to grant Calkins a PhD because she was a woman.

Mary Whiton Calkins

An example of discrimination is treating older adults poorly by excluding them from one's circle of friends. This negative action is often the result of holding negative beliefs (stereotypes) and negative attitudes (prejudice) toward that particular age group.

Example of Discrimination: Excluding Older Adults

While stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination are typically discussed as negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward out-groups, they can also manifest positively toward in-groups. Individuals can hold positive beliefs and show preferential treatment toward people based on group membership, often favoring those who are similar to themselves, such as sharing the same gender, race, or favorite sports team.

Preferential Treatment

Discrimination is a negative action or behavior toward an individual as a result of their membership in a particular group. It often arises when people act on their negative beliefs (stereotypes) and negative attitudes (prejudice), leading to the poor treatment of the target group as a form of oppression.

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Davidson College

Prejudice common enough in a group that its consequences take place on a more or less uniform societal level. Typically these views are informed by a society's culture.

Societal Prejudice 

Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on their membership in a particular group. It often begins in the form of a stereotype and can lead to overgeneralized negative beliefs applied to all members of that group, regardless of their individual characteristics.

Prejudice

A stereotype is a specific belief or assumption about individuals based solely on their membership in a group, regardless of their individual characteristics. Stereotypes are generally well-known within a given culture and often become overgeneralized and applied to all members of a group.

Stereotype

Wikipedia: Discrimination

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Discrimination

Prejudice toward a person or group that the individual holds with conscious awareness. 

Explicit Prejudice

Discrimination is defined as an action or behavior towards an individual that results from their membership in a particular group. While typically discussed as a negative and oppressive act, such as exclusion, discrimination can also manifest positively through preferential treatment for individuals who are part of one's own group.

Discrimination in Social Psychology

Spreading deceptive and/or inaccurate information against female public figures such as political leaders and journalists to undermine their participation in public life. This is often supported by storylines that are based on misogyny and gender stereotypes around the roles of women. 

Gendered Disinformation 

The contact hypothesis suggests that prejudice between different groups can be reduced through positive intergroup contact. This includes not only direct interactions and building relationships but also educational efforts. The positive effects can even be achieved through imagined social interactions with members of other groups.

Contact Hypothesis

Simply imagining interacting positively with members of a different cultural group can affect prejudice. This imagined social interaction can increase positive attitudes and traits associated with the other group, while also reducing the anxiety associated with inter-group interactions.

Reducing Prejudice through Imagined Social Interaction

We often make predictions based on how much a description fits our preconceived stereotypes. This leads to ignoring base rates (base rate neglect) and the accuracy of the description.

Representative heuristic

An example of a stereotype is the negative belief that all older adults are slow and incompetent. Even though many individual older adults may in fact be spry and intelligent, this negative belief is overgeneralized and applied to all members of the older adult group.

Example of Stereotype: Older Adults

A well-known stereotype involves beliefs about racial differences in athletics. For example, Black athletes are often stereotyped as being more athletic yet less intelligent than White athletes, and these beliefs persist despite many high-profile examples to the contrary. Such stereotypes can negatively influence how these athletes are treated by others and how they view their own capabilities.

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