Stereotypes, Prejudice, & Discrimination
MCAT Psychology - Chapter 6 - Section 2 - Attitudes & Behavior - Biases & Prejudice
Sample MCAT Question - Stereotypes, Prejudice, & Discrimination
The phrase “boys will be boys” is sometimes used to uphold the idea that it is normal for men to be more aggressive than women. This is an example of:
a) Gender discrimination
b) Gender stereotype
c) Gender prejudice
d) Gender bias
B is correct. Stereotypes are oversimplified generalizations about a group of people. In this example, the stereotype that men are aggressive is highlighted. Therefore, choice B is correct. This is not prejudice because it is not focused on an individual’s preconceived beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and attitude about a group (choice C is incorrect). This is also not an example of discrimination because there is no indication of specific negative behavior in the question (choice A is incorrect). This is not gender bias (though gender stereotypes can lead to gender bias) because there is no preference given to one gender over the other (choice D is incorrect).
Conciousness-Altering Drugs
Get 1-on-1 MCAT Tutoring From a Specialist
With MCAT tutoring from MedSchoolCoach, we are committed to help you prepare, excel, and optimize your ideal score on the MCAT exam.
For each student we work with, we learn about their learning style, content knowledge, and goals. We match them with the most suitable tutor and conduct online sessions that make them feel as if they are in the classroom. Each session is recorded, plus with access to whiteboard notes. We focus on high-yield topics if you’re pressed for time. If you have more time or high-score goals, we meticulously cover the entire MCAT syllabus.
Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination for the MCAT
Stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination are interconnected facets of social psychology that profoundly influence our perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors toward others. Here’s what you need to know about these three concepts for the MCAT.
Stereotypes
Stereotypes are oversimplified generalizations about a group of people. They can be about race, gender, age, or any other factor. For example, one might stereotype French people as snobbish or pretentious. Women might be stereotyped as being more emotionally intelligent. However, these are unjustified cognitive labels as they do not apply to every member of a group
Prejudice
Prejudice is an individual’s preconceived feelings and attitudes toward a group. Typically, prejudice refers to a negative belief that is unjustifiable. For example, a sexist individual has a particularly intense dislike for members of the other sex, is prejudiced against that sex.
Discrimination
Discrimination is carrying out specific negative actions, targeted against a particular group based on an individual’s prejudices. Unlike stereotypes and prejudice, discrimination implies that behavior is being carried out directly against the particular members of a targeted group. For example, someone prejudiced against old people might discriminate against them by choosing to only hire young people.
Explore More MCAT Masterclass Chapters
Take a closer look at our entire MCAT Masterclass or explore our Biochemistry lessons below.
One-on-One Tutoring
Are you ready to take your MCAT performance to a whole new level? Work with our 99th-percentile MCAT tutors to boost your score by 12 points or more!
See if MCAT Tutoring can help me
Talk to our enrollment team about MCAT Tutoring
MCAT Go Audio Course
Engaging audio learning to take your MCAT learning on the go, any time, any where. You'll be on the way to a higher MCAT score no matter where you are. Listen to over 200+ lessons.
MCAT Practice Exams
Practice makes perfect! Our mock exams coupled with thorough explanations and in-depth analytics help students understand exactly where they stand.
MCAT Prep App
Access hundreds of MCAT videos to help you study and raise your exam score. Augment your learning with expert-created flashcards and a question banks.
