🧠 Understanding Prejudice: A Social Psychology Insight for the MCAT

Prejudice refers to preconceived judgments or attitudes—often negative—toward individuals based on their perceived group membership. This includes categories such as race, gender, religion, culture, disability, age, and sexual orientation. Prejudice may be conscious (explicit) or unconscious (implicit), and it plays a central role in how humans relate to each other in society.

🧠 Understanding Prejudice: A Social Psychology Insight for the MCAT

🔎 The Core Elements of Prejudice

Prejudice is composed of three major components:

Component Description
Cognitive Stereotypes or beliefs about a group (e.g., "women are bad at math").
Affective Feelings or emotions linked to group membership (e.g., fear, dislike).
Behavioral The actions taken against a group (e.g., discrimination, exclusion).

🧬 Prejudice in MCAT-Relevant Concepts

Understanding prejudice ties into sociology, psychology, and behavior sections of the MCAT. Let’s review some key topics:

1. Stereotypes vs. Prejudice vs. Discrimination

Term Meaning
Stereotype Oversimplified ideas or generalizations about a group (cognitive component).
Prejudice Negative attitudes or feelings toward a group (affective component).
Discrimination Behaviors and actions based on prejudices (behavioral component).

🏥 Prejudice in Clinical and Social Settings

Medical professionals may witness or experience bias in the healthcare system. Prejudice can lead to:

  • Unequal access to care

  • Mistrust in patient-provider relationships

  • Stereotyping of patients based on cultural background

💡 Example MCAT Scenario:
A patient from a minority background is assumed to have lower pain tolerance, leading to under-medication. This reflects a stereotype that evolves into prejudiced behavior and poor care.

👥 Types of Prejudice Explored

Here are key forms of prejudice tested on the MCAT:

Type Example Scenario
Racial Prejudice Profiling individuals based on ethnicity.
Gender Prejudice Assuming men are better surgeons than women.
Ageism Ignoring input from an elderly patient assuming cognitive decline.
Ableism Avoiding hiring someone due to a visible disability.
Religious Prejudice Judging someone based on their attire or faith practices.

🛠️ Strategies to Combat Prejudice

✔️ Perspective-taking
✔️ Intergroup contact theory
✔️ Education and empathy-based training
✔️ Implicit bias workshops

📊 MCAT Sample Question

A nurse assumes that an elderly patient will be unable to use modern technology and doesn't offer instructions for an online patient portal. What does this represent?

A. Stereotyping
B. Discrimination
C. Cultural relativism
D. Ethnocentrism

Correct Answer: A.
The nurse made a cognitive assumption without assessing individual capability.



 

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🌍 Understanding Globalization: The Ties That Bind Our Modern World