Anil, a first-year student from Nagpur, is moving into a college hostel in a distant city. Before reaching, he has made up his mind that students from one faraway state will be rude and unfriendly. He has heard this from his cousins but has never met anyone from that state. He learns that his roommate is from that very state and that the two will share a room for the whole year. Anil also feels sure that students from his own home town are more honest and talented than others, though he has no evidence for it.
Suppose the roommate proves kind and helpful. How do sociologists describe the way views like Anil's respond to such new information?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → They tend to resist change even in the face of it
Option (1) They tend to give way, as direct evidence replaces hearsay — Incorrect. Prejudiced views are often based on hearsay, yet direct evidence does not easily replace them. They tend to hold firm even when new facts appear.
Option (2) They tend to turn into discrimination in actual behaviour — Incorrect. Discrimination is actual behaviour towards a group, such as refusing someone a job. A turn into behaviour does not describe how Anil's view meets new facts about his roommate.
Option (3) They tend to resist change even in the face of it — Correct. A prejudiced person's views are often based on hearsay and resist change even in the face of new information. Anil's opinion came from his cousins, so a kind roommate may not shake it.
Option (4) They tend to shift into a favourable pre-judgement — Incorrect. A favourable pre-judgement is a positive view formed before evidence, like Anil's belief about his home town. Prejudiced views do not tend to swing from negative to positive when new facts appear.
NCERT (2026-27): “Social Inequality … |