Discrimination Worksheet ETH/125 Version 8

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 involves behavior that excludes all members of a group from certain rights, opportunities, or privileges. (Schaefer, 2006, p. 37) The difference between discrimination, stereotype, and prejudice is relatively simple, because they are interchangeable. Discrimination refers to the actions individuals take towards another individual, whereas stereotype are just oversimplification of ideas individuals make against a person or group of people. However, prejudice tends to refer to an individuals thoughts or feelings about another person or group. Each has its own distinction from the rest, even though they have many similarities in terms of social exchanges and so forth. When I personally think about discrimination, I think of it as an act someone is doing to either degrade me or set me apart from other individuals. When I think of prejudice I think of an negative feeling or behavior someone has against another race, or ethinic group. As for stereotyping, I tend to look at this as labeling or categorizing.
What are the causes of discrimination?

The causes of discrimination are many; however, to narrow it down it comes from foolish ideas that Americans have come to adopt after generations, cultural background, and how their parents have raised them from childhood, to youth, to adult. When I personally think of discrimination, I think of preconceived ideas that we are taught as a child. In addition, not having the proper education does not help reduce discrimination. Understanding discrimination fully, will help reduce the amount of discrimination present in society. For example, just because our ancestors did not believe in various types of religion does not mean that another religion different from our own is bad, or not as good as our own faith/religion. In conclusion, causes of discrimination are not just limited to a few concepts, views, or opinions; in fact, there are many causes. Moreover, we can stop discrimination, by educating ourselves about various minority groups, and teach our children not to discriminate, by doing so we are helping reduce the amount of claims filed each year.

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?

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Discrimination Worksheet ETH/125 Version 8

Personally, I do not really think one identity group (race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability) faces discrimination worse, or better, because in truth discrimination is that discrimination. In most situations where discrimination is concerned, the individual does not control the circumstances surrounding that situation. However, to choose one identity group to answer this particular question upon, I guess perhaps discrimination against an individuals sexual orientation may receive more discrimination, because many individuals see this as a personal choice, which the individual made. However, just because we think this way does not make the discrimination against that individual any less wrong. I believe that a big part of discrimination comes from individuals not accepting indifferent ideas, actions, behaviors, religions, and change. Without having the ability to accept new or improved ideas, many individuals will become prejudice against that minority, and eventually begin to discriminate against that minority group. In conclusion, discrimination is not a positive behavior, and no matter which minority group or identify group you are from, eventually, you will receive some form of discrimination.
Resources Schaefer, R. T. (2006). Racial and Ethnic Groups (10 e.d.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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