Q.1 Which of the following best defines 'prejudice'?
A behavior directed against a group
A negative attitude or feeling toward a person based on their group membership
An organized social policy
A neutral perception of others
Explanation - Prejudice refers to preconceived opinions or attitudes about a person or group, often negative and not based on actual experience.
Correct answer is: A negative attitude or feeling toward a person based on their group membership
Q.2 What distinguishes 'discrimination' from 'prejudice'?
Prejudice is a behavior, discrimination is an attitude
Prejudice is an attitude, discrimination is a behavior
They are synonyms
Discrimination is always intentional, prejudice is not
Explanation - Prejudice refers to internal attitudes, whereas discrimination involves actions or behaviors directed against a group based on prejudice.
Correct answer is: Prejudice is an attitude, discrimination is a behavior
Q.3 The 'scapegoat theory' suggests that prejudice arises from:
Biological differences between groups
Frustration that is displaced onto a vulnerable group
Cultural learning
Genetic predisposition
Explanation - Scapegoat theory posits that people may blame and act hostilely toward out-groups to vent frustration from other sources.
Correct answer is: Frustration that is displaced onto a vulnerable group
Q.4 Which of the following is an example of 'implicit bias'?
Refusing to hire someone because of their race
Feeling less trust toward a certain group without realizing it
Writing discriminatory laws
Physically attacking someone due to group membership
Explanation - Implicit bias involves unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect understanding, actions, and decisions.
Correct answer is: Feeling less trust toward a certain group without realizing it
Q.5 Social identity theory explains prejudice as arising from:
Individual biological differences
Categorizing people into 'us' vs 'them' groups
Random personal experiences
Economic policies
Explanation - Social identity theory posits that people derive self-esteem from their group memberships, often leading to favoritism toward their group and prejudice toward others.
Correct answer is: Categorizing people into 'us' vs 'them' groups
Q.6 Stereotypes are best defined as:
Accurate representations of individuals
Overgeneralized beliefs about a group
Intentional acts of discrimination
Legal policies against a group
Explanation - Stereotypes are cognitive schemas that oversimplify and generalize traits of members of a group, which can contribute to prejudice.
Correct answer is: Overgeneralized beliefs about a group
Q.7 Which experiment demonstrated that competition between groups increases prejudice?
Stanford Prison Experiment
Robbers Cave Experiment
Asch Conformity Experiment
Milgram Obedience Experiment
Explanation - The Robbers Cave Experiment by Sherif showed that intergroup competition for resources leads to increased prejudice and conflict.
Correct answer is: Robbers Cave Experiment
Q.8 The contact hypothesis suggests that prejudice can be reduced through:
Avoiding all interaction with out-groups
Frequent, equal-status interaction between groups
Legal punishment of prejudice
Stereotyping
Explanation - According to Allport's contact hypothesis, meaningful interaction under positive conditions reduces prejudice.
Correct answer is: Frequent, equal-status interaction between groups
Q.9 What is 'aversive racism'?
Overt racism with clear hostility
Subtle, often unconscious negative feelings toward a group
Racism based on fear of personal harm
Racism only in children
Explanation - Aversive racism involves holding egalitarian values consciously while unconsciously harboring negative feelings, leading to subtle discriminatory behavior.
Correct answer is: Subtle, often unconscious negative feelings toward a group
Q.10 Tokenism in a workplace refers to:
Hiring or including a minimal number of minority members to appear fair
Complete equality among all employees
Strict anti-discrimination policies
Random promotions based on merit
Explanation - Tokenism involves superficial efforts to include minority members without real equality or empowerment, often maintaining systemic discrimination.
Correct answer is: Hiring or including a minimal number of minority members to appear fair
Q.11 Which of the following is a 'microaggression'?
A violent hate crime
Subtle, often unintentional, discriminatory remarks or behaviors
Passing a law to restrict rights
Organizing a protest
Explanation - Microaggressions are small, everyday actions or comments that convey bias toward marginalized groups.
Correct answer is: Subtle, often unintentional, discriminatory remarks or behaviors
Q.12 Authoritarian personality theory links prejudice to:
High levels of education
Rigid adherence to conventional values and submission to authority
Openness to experience
Random chance
Explanation - According to Adorno et al., individuals with authoritarian personalities are more likely to show prejudice due to strict adherence to norms and hostility toward out-groups.
Correct answer is: Rigid adherence to conventional values and submission to authority
Q.13 Which form of discrimination occurs without conscious intent?
Overt discrimination
Institutional discrimination
Covert discrimination
Direct discrimination
Explanation - Covert discrimination is subtle, hidden, and often unintentional, reflecting biases embedded in practices or policies.
Correct answer is: Covert discrimination
Q.14 Which of the following is an example of systemic or institutional discrimination?
A teacher treating one student unfairly
A law that disproportionately restricts voting rights for certain groups
A person refusing to speak to a colleague
A public protest
Explanation - Institutional discrimination occurs when societal institutions produce unfair treatment or disadvantage certain groups, often through laws, policies, or practices.
Correct answer is: A law that disproportionately restricts voting rights for certain groups
Q.15 Realistic conflict theory argues that prejudice arises from:
Limited cognitive abilities
Competition for scarce resources
Innate personality traits
Globalization
Explanation - Realistic conflict theory explains prejudice as the result of groups competing for limited material or social resources.
Correct answer is: Competition for scarce resources
Q.16 A stereotype threat occurs when:
A person ignores all stereotypes
A person is at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about their group
A group openly expresses prejudice
An individual discriminates against others
Explanation - Stereotype threat can negatively affect performance and behavior due to anxiety about confirming negative group stereotypes.
Correct answer is: A person is at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about their group
Q.17 Which of the following is an example of overt prejudice?
Making jokes that demean a racial group
Feeling uncomfortable around a group without knowing why
Having an unconscious preference
None of the above
Explanation - Overt prejudice is explicit and conscious, involving clear negative actions or statements against a group.
Correct answer is: Making jokes that demean a racial group
Q.18 The term 'in-group bias' refers to:
Favoring one's own group over others
Treating all groups equally
Rejecting one's own group
Avoiding group membership
Explanation - In-group bias involves preferential treatment and positive attitudes toward members of one's own group.
Correct answer is: Favoring one's own group over others
Q.19 Which of the following interventions has been shown to reduce prejudice?
Segregation of groups
Equal-status cooperative activities
Increased competition between groups
Ignoring the existence of prejudice
Explanation - Programs promoting equal-status interaction and cooperation between groups reduce prejudice and improve intergroup relations.
Correct answer is: Equal-status cooperative activities
Q.20 The 'just-world hypothesis' can contribute to prejudice because:
It encourages people to see victims as deserving their fate
It promotes equal treatment
It discourages stereotyping
It eliminates in-group bias
Explanation - Belief in a just world leads people to rationalize inequality by blaming the victim, reinforcing stereotypes and prejudice.
Correct answer is: It encourages people to see victims as deserving their fate
Q.21 Which type of discrimination occurs through policies and practices of institutions?
Individual discrimination
Institutional discrimination
Overt discrimination
Direct discrimination
Explanation - Institutional discrimination is embedded in social structures and organizations, often perpetuating unequal outcomes for certain groups.
Correct answer is: Institutional discrimination
Q.22 Which is an example of modern subtle prejudice?
Claiming discrimination no longer exists while opposing affirmative action
Using racial slurs openly
Physically attacking someone because of their ethnicity
Overt segregation
Explanation - Modern subtle prejudice is less overt and often involves rationalizations or indirect opposition to policies that benefit marginalized groups.
Correct answer is: Claiming discrimination no longer exists while opposing affirmative action
Q.23 Which factor can increase the likelihood of intergroup prejudice according to realistic conflict theory?
Abundant resources
Zero-sum competition for scarce resources
Individual introspection
Open-minded education
Explanation - Prejudice tends to increase when groups perceive that resources are limited and one group's gain is another's loss.
Correct answer is: Zero-sum competition for scarce resources
Q.24 Which psychological mechanism underlies the formation of stereotypes?
Cognitive simplification of complex information
Emotional regulation
Conscious discrimination
Moral reasoning
Explanation - Stereotypes simplify social perception by categorizing individuals into groups, which can lead to overgeneralizations and prejudice.
Correct answer is: Cognitive simplification of complex information