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Multiple Choice

Bob believes that women should be the primary caregivers for children. It irritates him to see men changing diapers. This is an example of ________.

This scenario centers on bias—the tendency to favor or disfavor what certain groups should be like and how they should behave. Bob’s belief that women should be the primary caregivers reveals a gender-based preference about how roles should be assigned, and his irritation at seeing men perform caregiving tasks shows how that bias colors his reactions to people who don’t fit that expectation. He’s evaluating and reacting to others based on gendered assumptions, not necessarily on individual merit or behavior. Discrimination would involve acting on these beliefs to treat people differently (like excluding men from caregiving opportunities). Prejudice refers to the negative feelings toward a group, which is part of what we see here (resentment toward men who diaper), but the overall pattern—a biased sense that gender determines appropriate roles—best fits bias as the underlying tendency. Stereotype would be a generalized belief about a group, whereas this example couples the belief with an evaluative reaction, illustrating bias at work.

This scenario centers on bias—the tendency to favor or disfavor what certain groups should be like and how they should behave. Bob’s belief that women should be the primary caregivers reveals a gender-based preference about how roles should be assigned, and his irritation at seeing men perform caregiving tasks shows how that bias colors his reactions to people who don’t fit that expectation. He’s evaluating and reacting to others based on gendered assumptions, not necessarily on individual merit or behavior.

Discrimination would involve acting on these beliefs to treat people differently (like excluding men from caregiving opportunities). Prejudice refers to the negative feelings toward a group, which is part of what we see here (resentment toward men who diaper), but the overall pattern—a biased sense that gender determines appropriate roles—best fits bias as the underlying tendency. Stereotype would be a generalized belief about a group, whereas this example couples the belief with an evaluative reaction, illustrating bias at work.