Mona works at a bank. When Luis, a Colombian man, arrives to drop off his paycheck she pretends to be busy and directs him to another teller. She does this whenever a non-White person wants assistance. This is an example of
aggression
discrimination
prejudice
stereotype
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: Discrimination
Explanation:
The scenario described is an example of discrimination, which refers to unfair or unequal treatment of individuals based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, religion, or ethnicity. In this case, Mona, a bank employee, consistently avoids helping non-White customers, including Luis, by pretending to be busy and directing them to other tellers. This behavior demonstrates intentional unequal treatment based on race or ethnicity, which is the core definition of discrimination.
To further clarify, it is important to distinguish discrimination from related but different concepts such as prejudice, stereotypes, and aggression:
- Prejudice refers to a negative attitude or feeling toward a person based solely on their group membership (such as race or ethnicity). For example, if Mona believed that non-White people were less trustworthy or competent, that would be prejudice. However, prejudice by itself does not involve action—it’s a belief or attitude.
- Stereotypes are oversimplified generalizations about a group of people. They can be positive or negative and are often not based on personal experience. For example, believing that all Colombian people behave a certain way would be stereotyping.
- Aggression involves hostile or violent behavior, including verbal or physical harm. While Mona’s behavior is passive and unfair, it is not overtly hostile or violent, so it would not be classified as aggression.
Because Mona’s actions involve treating individuals differently and unfairly due to their race or ethnicity, her behavior qualifies as discrimination. It’s a serious social issue with wide-ranging implications, including reduced trust in institutions and the perpetuation of systemic inequality. In professional environments, such behavior can violate company policies and civil rights laws, such as the Civil Rights Act in the United States, which prohibits discrimination in public services and employment.