Social Science ยท Civics Polity

Social Inequality and Discrimination

1,938 Questions

Social inequality and discrimination involve the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities based on race, class, or gender. These concepts are frequently tested in UPSC, state PSC, and SSC exams. Practicing these questions helps clarify key sociological theories and structural challenges.

Environmental racism conceptsRacial prejudice strategiesWorkplace discrimination policiesMedia representation issuesSocial equality principles

Social Inequality and Discrimination Questions

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the systematic and institutionalized discrimination against racial and ethnic minorities in various aspects of society?

  1. Racial profiling

  2. Institutional racism

  3. Racial segregation

  4. White privilege
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Institutional racism refers to the systemic and ingrained patterns of discrimination that result in unequal opportunities and outcomes for racial minorities.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of racial profiling in public services?

  1. Police officers stopping and searching individuals based on their race or ethnicity

  2. School administrators disciplining students of color more harshly than white students for the same offenses

  3. Healthcare providers denying or delaying care to patients based on their race or ethnicity

  4. Government agencies denying housing assistance to families of color
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Racial profiling involves targeting individuals for suspicion or investigation based solely on their race or ethnicity.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of redlining, a discriminatory practice in housing?

  1. Banks denying mortgages to individuals in certain neighborhoods based on their race or ethnicity

  2. Real estate agents refusing to show homes to buyers of color

  3. Landlords refusing to rent to tenants of color

  4. Homeowners' associations imposing restrictive covenants that exclude buyers of color
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Redlining is the practice of denying mortgages or other financial services to individuals in certain neighborhoods based on their race or ethnicity.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the disproportionate representation of racial minorities in the criminal justice system?

  1. Mass incarceration

  2. Racial profiling

  3. Institutional racism

  4. Disparate sentencing
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Mass incarceration refers to the high rates of imprisonment in the United States, particularly among racial minorities.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of disparate sentencing, a racial disparity in the criminal justice system?

  1. African Americans receiving longer sentences than white defendants for the same crimes

  2. Hispanic defendants being more likely to be denied bail than white defendants

  3. Native Americans being overrepresented in the prison population compared to their share of the general population

  4. Asian Americans being less likely to be arrested for drug offenses than white Americans
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Disparate sentencing refers to the racial disparities in sentencing outcomes for similar crimes, with racial minorities receiving harsher sentences than white defendants.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the practice of using race or ethnicity as a factor in determining eligibility for public benefits or services?

  1. Racial profiling

  2. Affirmative action

  3. Racial discrimination

  4. Racial segregation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Racial discrimination involves treating individuals differently based on their race or ethnicity, often resulting in unequal opportunities and outcomes.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of affirmative action, a policy aimed at addressing racial disparities and promoting equal opportunities?

  1. Providing scholarships to students from underrepresented racial groups

  2. Setting aside a certain number of jobs for racial minorities in government agencies

  3. Encouraging businesses to adopt diversity and inclusion initiatives

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Affirmative action policies aim to address racial disparities and promote equal opportunities through various measures such as scholarships, job reservations, and diversity initiatives.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the gap in wealth and assets between racial groups?

  1. Racial wealth gap

  2. Income inequality

  3. Racial segregation

  4. Mass incarceration
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Racial wealth gap refers to the disparity in wealth and assets between racial groups, often resulting from historical and ongoing discrimination.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a policy that has contributed to the racial wealth gap?

  1. Redlining

  2. Mass incarceration

  3. Subprime lending

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Redlining, mass incarceration, and subprime lending are all policies that have contributed to the racial wealth gap by limiting opportunities for wealth accumulation among racial minorities.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the practice of targeting racial minorities for marketing and advertising campaigns that promote unhealthy products or behaviors?

  1. Racial profiling

  2. Targeted marketing

  3. Predatory marketing

  4. Racial discrimination
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Predatory marketing involves targeting racial minorities with marketing campaigns that promote unhealthy products or behaviors, often exploiting their vulnerabilities.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a common form of discrimination?

  1. Racial profiling

  2. Housing discrimination

  3. Employment discrimination

  4. Reverse discrimination
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Reverse discrimination is not a common form of discrimination, as it refers to discrimination against members of a majority group.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the belief that one's own race or culture is superior to others?

  1. Racism

  2. Ethnocentrism

  3. Xenophobia

  4. Nationalism
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Ethnocentrism is the belief that one's own race or culture is superior to others, while racism is the belief that one race is superior to another.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a strategy for reducing prejudice and discrimination?

  1. Contact between groups

  2. Education about diversity

  3. Affirmative action

  4. Segregation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Segregation is not a strategy for reducing prejudice and discrimination, as it increases the separation between groups.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a factor that contributes to prejudice and discrimination?

  1. Social inequality

  2. Competition for resources

  3. Fear of the unknown

  4. Positive intergroup contact
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Positive intergroup contact is a factor that reduces prejudice and discrimination, not contributes to it.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the process of attributing negative characteristics to a group of people based on their race or ethnicity?

  1. Stereotyping

  2. Prejudice

  3. Discrimination

  4. Racism
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Stereotyping is the process of attributing negative characteristics to a group of people based on their race or ethnicity, while prejudice is the negative attitude towards a group of people based on their race or ethnicity.