What term describes negative treatment of a minority group that is built into society's institutions?

• A. Prejudice
• B. Racism
• C. Stereotyping
• D. Institutional discrimination

Answer: (D)

Institutional discrimination occurs when negative treatment of a minority group is built into the rules, policies, and everyday procedures of society’s institutions. It isn’t just about one person’s bad attitude; it’s about how institutions operate in ways that produce unequal access and outcomes for certain groups, often without anyone intending harm. For example, funding systems tied to local wealth can leave schools serving minority communities underfunded, which affects resources and opportunities for students. Similarly, hiring and promotion practices that rely on credentials or networks that are less accessible to some groups can systematically limit their advancement. Stereotyping is about general beliefs about a group, prejudice is an attitude, and racism includes oppressive beliefs and actions related to race, but institutional discrimination specifically highlights how the structure of laws, policies, and procedures itself creates and maintains disadvantage.