Question

Explain the difference between prejudice and discrimination. Is it possible to be prejudiced but not discriminate? To discriminate without being prejudiced?

Please provide a well thoughtout answer. thank you

Answer 1

1. Prejudice is basically one’s attitude towards a person , or particular thing or event. It is how a person percieves it to ne . It includes three components of attitude i.e. affective (emotion) , behavioural(action) and cognitive (beliefs). A person may or may not behave based on his /her prejudice but incase of discrimination he /she will behave. Discrimination is basically your behaviour towards something . It can bes based on your prejudices.

For instance you have a prejudice that girls are different from boys . This is just your attitude towards girls and boys that you think . If you actually discriminate between girls and boys based on this beleif , then this behaviour would be called discrimination.

2.) yes it is very much possible to be prejudiced and not discriminate . A person may think of girls and boys differently , he may have prejudices formed in his head for both the genders differently but he may not behave differently , and so it would not reflec in his behaviours and actions . So the person has a prejudice but is still not discriminating.

3.) Discrimination requires prejudice . It is not the only thing required . Other factors like exonomical benefit , socialization , group conformity behaviour etc may also be responsible for discrimnation.