Which statement defines prejudice?

• A. An objective assessment based on evidence.
• B. A willingness to help others without expectation.
• C. An unreasonable dislike or distrust of people who are different from you.
• D. A neutral attitude toward differences.

Answer: (C)

Prejudice is a preconceived, usually negative, attitude toward people based on their membership in a particular group, rather than on individual merit or evidence. The statement that best defines prejudice describes an unreasonable dislike or distrust of people who are different from you, capturing that negative feeling and bias toward others because of group differences. This contrasts with an objective assessment based on evidence (rational evaluation), a willingness to help others without expectation (altruism), and a neutral attitude toward differences (openness or tolerance). The key idea is that prejudice involves negative judgments or feelings about groups without factual basis.