Identify the meanings of the concepts given:
| LIST-I | LIST-II | ||
| (A) | Prejudice | (I) | Ways in which individuals may become cut off from full involvement in the wider society |
| (B) | Stereotype | (II) | Pattern of unequal access to social resources |
| (C) | Social exclusion | (III) | Fixed and inflexible characterisation of group of people |
| (D) | Social inequality | (IV) | Preconceived opinions held by members of one group towards another |
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A)-(IV), (B)-(III), (C)-(I), (D)-(II)
(A) Prejudice — this matches (IV) Preconceived opinions held by members of one group towards another. The word literally means ‘pre-judgement’: an opinion formed in advance, before considering any available evidence, often based on hearsay and resistant to change.
(B) Stereotype — this matches (III) Fixed and inflexible characterisation of group of people. A stereotype classifies an entire group of people as, say, ‘lazy’ or ‘cunning’, though such a trait is true only of some individuals in every group; prejudices are often grounded in stereotypes.
(C) Social exclusion — this matches (I) Ways in which individuals may become cut off from full involvement in the wider society. It looks at the factors that prevent individuals or groups from having the opportunities open to the majority of the population.
(D) Social inequality — this matches (II) Pattern of unequal access to social resources. Some people have a greater share of valued resources such as money, property, education, health and power, and such patterns of unequal access to social resources are called social inequality.
NCERT (2025-26): “5.1 What Is Social About Social Inequality and Exclusion? … In every society, some people have a greater share of valued resources – money, property, education, health, and power – than others. These social resources can be divided into three forms of capital – economic capital in the form of material assets and income; cultural capital such as educational qualifications and status; and social capital in the form of networks of contacts and social associations (Bourdieu 1986). Often, these three forms of capital overlap and one can be converted into the other. For example, a person from a well-off family (economic capital) can afford expensive higher education, and so can acquire cultural or educational capital. Someone with influential relatives and friends (social capital) may – through access to good advice, recommendations or information – manage to get a well-paid job. Patterns of unequal access to social resources are commonly called social inequality.…” “…Prejudices refer to pre-conceived opinions or attitudes held by members of one group towards another. The word literally means ‘pre-judgement’, that is, an opinion formed in advance of any familiarity with the subject, before considering any available evidence. A prejudiced person’s preconceived views are often based on hearsay rather than on direct evidence, and are resistant to change even in the face of new information. Prejudice may be either positive or negative. Although the word is generally used for negative pre-judgements, it can also apply to favourable pre-judgement. For example, a person may be prejudiced in favour of members of his/her own caste or group and – without any evidence – believe them to be superior to members of other castes or groups. Prejudices are often grounded in stereotypes, fixed and inflexible characterisations of a group of people.…” “Social Exclusion Social exclusion refers to ways in which individuals may become cut off from full involvement in the wider society. It focuses attention on a broad range of factors that prevent individuals or groups from having opportunities open to the majority of the population.…” |