Discrimination Work

Associate Program Material

Discrimination Worksheet

Write a 100- to 200-word response to each of the following questions. Provide citations for all the sources you use.

What is discrimination? How is discrimination different from prejudice and stereotyping?

“Discrimination is denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and groups because of prejudice or for other arbitrary reasons”(Richard T. Schaefer/ University of Phoenix, 2012, p.61 ). Discrimination is different from prejudice and stereotyping because it is denial of opportunities and/or rights to an individual or group. Prejudice is a negative attitude towards a particular group of people, not by actions but by race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and age. Stereotyping is the belief that all persons of a particular group commit the same actions, a example is that all African-Americans are thieves. Stereotypes are a false belief but still alone do not take away from the group the stereotypes are placed upon.

What are the causes of discrimination?

Discrimination is caused by both prejudice and stereotypes. Prejudice causes discrimination through the dominant group in society that has an attitude towards a particular group based on race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability and gender. The dominant group feels that the minority group is inferior to them and should not be given equal rights that they receive themselves. Stereotyping causes discrimination because the dominant group falsely feels that a person of a different group all act the same and through this they can not be trusted with the same equal rights and opportunities that are given to the dominant group.

How is discrimination faced by one identity group (race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability) the same as discrimination faced by another? How are they different?

I feel that discrimination is faced differently by each identity group. Each identity group is discriminated against differently based upon the prejudice and stereotypes placed upon them by the dominant group. The identity group must work towards educating the dominant group that the denying of equal opportunities and rights is based upon the false stereotypes and attitudes directed towards their identity group by the dominant group and that they should indeed receive the same rights and opportunities. Each identity group faces different obstacles when discriminated against, whether it be physical obstacles or psychological obstacles. When taking on these obstacles in order to gain equal rights and opportunities, a different approach must be taken by that identity group to discredit the reasoning for the denial of the rights and opportunities.