👩‍👩‍👦intro to sociology review

Minority group

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

A minority group consists of individuals who, due to physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from others in the society in which they live for differential and unequal treatment, and who therefore regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination. The term does not necessarily imply a minority in actual numbers but rather an imbalance in power and access to resources such as opportunities, rights, and privileges.