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 discrimination?

  1. Treating someone differently based on their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.

  2. Refusing to hire someone because they are not qualified for the job.

  3. Paying someone less than the minimum wage.

  4. Requiring someone to work overtime without pay.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Discrimination is treating someone differently based on their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability. This can include refusing to hire someone, paying them less than the minimum wage, or requiring them to work overtime without pay.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of in-group favoritism?

  1. Preferring to work with people from your own social group

  2. Attributing positive qualities to members of your own social group

  3. Discriminating against members of other social groups

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

In-group favoritism is a tendency to favor members of one's own social group over members of other social groups. This can manifest in a variety of ways, including preferring to work with people from one's own social group, attributing positive qualities to members of one's own social group, and discriminating against members of other social groups.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of out-group derogation?

  1. Viewing members of other social groups as inferior

  2. Stereotyping members of other social groups

  3. Discriminating against members of other social groups

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

Out-group derogation is a tendency to view members of other social groups as inferior to members of one's own social group. This can manifest in a variety of ways, including viewing members of other social groups as inferior, stereotyping members of other social groups, and discriminating against members of other social groups.

Multiple choice

How did the concept of racial inferiority contribute to the justification of slavery?

  1. It provided a moral and ethical framework for the enslavement of certain groups.

  2. It allowed slaveholders to rationalize their actions and maintain their power.

  3. It created a social hierarchy that placed enslaved people at the bottom.

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

The concept of racial inferiority served as a powerful tool to justify slavery. It provided a moral and ethical framework that allowed slaveholders to rationalize their actions, maintain their power, and create a social hierarchy that placed enslaved people at the bottom.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a social norm that supported slavery?

  1. The belief that certain races were inferior and deserved to be enslaved.

  2. The idea that slavery was a necessary evil for economic prosperity.

  3. The practice of treating enslaved people as property.

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

Social norms played a crucial role in supporting slavery. These norms included the belief that certain races were inferior and deserved to be enslaved, the idea that slavery was a necessary evil for economic prosperity, and the practice of treating enslaved people as property.

Multiple choice

Which minority group was forced into internment camps by the United States government during World War II?

  1. African Americans

  2. Japanese Americans

  3. Mexican Americans

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

Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps by the United States government during World War II, with over 120,000 Japanese Americans being interned.

Multiple choice

Which minority group was the target of discrimination and violence in the United States during World War II?

  1. African Americans

  2. Japanese Americans

  3. Mexican Americans

  4. Native Americans
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
Correct answer
Explanation

All of the above minority groups were the target of discrimination and violence in the United States during World War II.

Multiple choice

Which minority group was the target of discrimination and violence in Latin America during World War II?

  1. Indigenous peoples

  2. Afro-Latinos

  3. Mestizos

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

All of the above minority groups were the target of discrimination and violence in Latin America during World War II.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the phenomenon where individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds tend to have poorer health outcomes compared to those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds?

  1. Health inequality

  2. Social gradient in health

  3. Health disparity

  4. Socioeconomic health gap
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The social gradient in health refers to the systematic relationship between socioeconomic status and health outcomes, where lower socioeconomic status is associated with poorer health.

Multiple choice

What is the conservative position on affirmative action?

  1. It is necessary to achieve equality

  2. It is unfair and should be abolished

  3. It is necessary in some cases but not others

  4. It should be decided by the individual states
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Conservatives believe that affirmative action can be necessary to achieve equality in some cases, but that it should not be used to discriminate against anyone.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the process by which individuals or groups are prevented from moving up the social ladder due to structural barriers and discrimination?

  1. Social exclusion

  2. Social immobility

  3. Social stratification

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

Social exclusion refers to the process by which individuals or groups are prevented from moving up the social ladder due to structural barriers and discrimination, such as racism, sexism, or classism.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the idea that poverty is a result of systemic factors, such as discrimination, lack of opportunity, or inadequate social policies?

  1. The deserving poor

  2. The undeserving poor

  3. The culture of poverty

  4. The structural approach to poverty
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The structural approach to poverty suggests that poverty is a result of systemic factors, such as discrimination, lack of opportunity, or inadequate social policies, rather than individual choices or behaviors.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of how racism can manifest itself in sports?

  1. The use of racial slurs by athletes or fans.

  2. The segregation of athletes or teams based on race.

  3. The denial of opportunities to athletes based on race.

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

All of the above are examples of how racism can manifest itself in sports.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of how discrimination can manifest itself in sports?

  1. The denial of opportunities to athletes based on race.

  2. The use of racial slurs by athletes or fans.

  3. The segregation of athletes or teams based on race.

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

All of the above are examples of how discrimination can manifest itself in sports.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is a challenge that athletes of color face in sports?

  1. Racism.

  2. Segregation.

  3. Discrimination.

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

All of the above are challenges that athletes of color face in sports.