Dislike or hatred felt towards a target group forms which component o…

Dislike or hatred felt towards a target group forms which component of prejudice?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 2

The correct answer is Option (2) → Affective component

Option (1) Cognitive component — Incorrect. The cognitive component is the stereotype, a cluster of ideas about a group. Dislike or hatred is a feeling.

Option (2) Affective component — Correct. Affect means feeling. Dislike or hatred is the feeling that often comes with the stereotype, so it forms the affective component of prejudice.

Option (3) Behavioural component — Incorrect. The behavioural component is discrimination, which is acting less positively towards a group. A feeling of hatred is not yet an action.

Option (4) Both cognitive and affective components — Incorrect. Dislike or hatred is a feeling only, so it belongs to one component. The beliefs about the group form a separate, cognitive component.

NCERT (2026-27): “PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION
Prejudices are examples of attitudes towards a particular group. They are usually negative, and in many cases, may be based on stereotypes (the cognitive component) about the specific group. As will be discussed below in the section on social cognition, a stereotype is a cluster of ideas regarding the characteristics of a specific group. All members belonging to this group are assumed to possess these characteristics. Often, stereotypes consist of undesirable characteristics about the target group, and they lead to negative attitudes or prejudices towards members of specific groups. The cognitive component of prejudice is frequently accompanied by dislike or hatred, the affective component. Prejudice may also get translated into discrimination, the behavioural component, whereby people behave in a less positive way towards a particular target group compared to another group which they favour. …”