Which statement is true about prejudice?

• A. It is an unreasonable dislike or distrust of people who are different from you.
• B. It is always based on solid evidence.
• C. It has no impact on behavior.
• D. It always changes with new information.

Answer: (A)

Prejudice is an unfounded, negative attitude toward people who are different from you, often formed without personal experience and based on stereotypes. The statement that describes prejudice as an unreasonable dislike or distrust of people who are different from you matches this idea precisely, because it highlights the irrational and biased nature of prejudice rather than any factual basis. It isn’t about solid evidence; often it rests on generalizations or rumors rather than real facts, which is why the alternative that says it’s always based on solid evidence isn’t accurate. Prejudice also tends to influence how people behave, leading to exclusion or unfair treatment, so the idea that it has no impact on behavior isn’t correct. And prejudice doesn’t inevitably change just because new information is presented; beliefs can persist even in the face of new facts, so it isn’t accurate to say it always changes with new information. In contexts like The Outsiders, where tensions arise from assumed differences between groups, prejudice helps explain why characters form biased judgments about others before getting to know them.