Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Ethnicity refers to a shared cultural heritage, nationality, or ancestry that individuals identify with. It is a social construct that categorizes people based on common traditions, customs, language, and beliefs.
Race refers to physical characteristics such as skin color and facial features that are used to categorize people into different groups. Unlike ethnicity, which is based on shared cultural backgrounds, race is often associated with biological differences.
Prejudice is an unjustified negative attitude or belief towards individuals or groups based on their perceived characteristics such as ethnicity, race, gender, or religion. It involves making judgments about others without sufficient evidence.
A stereotype is a widely held but oversimplified and generalized belief about a particular group of people. Stereotypes can be positive or negative and may influence how individuals perceive and interact with others based on their ethnicity or other characteristics.