What is the Difference Between Prejudice and Racism?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between prejudice and racism lies in the specificity of the negative emotions and beliefs. Here are the key distinctions:
- Prejudice refers to irrational or unjustifiable negative emotions or evaluations toward people based on their membership in social groups, such as race, ethnicity, religion, or nationality. It is a general attitude or belief system about anything, often based on a lack of investigation or understanding of the true nature of the subject.
- Racism is a form of prejudice that assumes members of racial categories have distinctive characteristics, and these differences result in some groups being inherently superior or inferior to others. Racism is usually irrational and based on the assumption that race reflects inherent differences in attributes and capabilities. It can lead to negative emotional reactions, acceptance of negative stereotypes, and discrimination against individuals or groups.
In summary, prejudice is a broader term that encompasses negative attitudes and beliefs toward people based on their group membership, while racism is a specific type of prejudice that focuses on racial categories and the belief in inherent differences between them. Racism often involves the power to oppress or limit the rights of others, whereas prejudice can apply to various aspects of life and may not necessarily result in discrimination or oppression.
Comparative Table: Prejudice vs Racism
The difference between prejudice and racism can be summarized as follows:
| Prejudice | Racism |
|---|---|
| A general attitude or belief system about anything, often based on inaccurate or insufficient information | A particular kind of prejudice against human beings or groups, based on the assumption that race is an indicator of basic traits of character |
| Can apply to various aspects of life, not just race | Focuses on race and ethnicity, often resulting in inequalities and discriminatory practices |
| Consists of hostile or dismissive feelings towards people who are different from oneself | Involves a set of beliefs that justify feelings of superiority or inferiority based on race |
| Can lead to discrimination, which is the act of treating people differently based on their race, ethnicity, age, religion, health, or other categories | Racism itself is a form of discrimination based on race or ethnicity, often leading to unequal treatment and opportunities |
In summary, prejudice is a general attitude or belief system about anything, while racism is a specific type of prejudice directed towards human beings or groups based on race or ethnicity. Racism often results in discriminatory practices and is used to justify inequalities and unequal treatment of individuals or groups.
- Prejudice vs Discrimination
- Discrimination vs Racism
- Race vs Racism
- Prejudice vs Bias
- Bigotry vs Prejudice
- Stereotype vs Racism
- Stereotype vs Prejudice
- Attitude vs Prejudice
- Racist vs Bigot
- Stigma vs Discrimination
- Segregation vs Discrimination
- Caste vs Race
- Race vs Color
- Nationality vs Race
- Discrimination vs Harassment
- Race vs Ethnicity
- Homophobia vs Heterosexism
- Diversity vs Multiculturalism
- Stereotype vs Generalization