Weinstein and Mellen defined the term ________ as "an undifferentiated, simplistic attribution that involves a judgment of habits, traits, abilities, or expectations... assigned as a characteristic of all members of a group."

Weinstein and Mellen defined the term ________ as "an undifferentiated, simplistic attribution that involves a judgment of habits, traits, abilities, or expectations... assigned as a characteristic of all members of a group."

• A. Racism
• B. Rankism
• C. Prejudice
• D. Stereotype

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is stereotype: a generalized, oversimplified belief about a group that assigns the same traits, abilities, or expectations to all of its members. This definition emphasizes two parts: it’s undifferentiated and simplistic, and it attributes characteristics to everyone in the group. Stereotypes act as cognitive shortcuts that help us quickly categorize people, but they ignore individual differences and can lead to biased judgments or discriminatory behavior when those generalizations are assumed to apply to each person. For example, thinking that all members of a group share a particular trait—like assuming every member acts a certain way or has the same abilities—fits this concept precisely. This differs from prejudice, which is an attitude or feeling toward a group; it can stem from stereotypes but is about the emotional stance rather than the belief about all members. Racism involves beliefs about racial superiority and systemic power, which is broader than the specific generalization described here. Rankism centers on demeaning others based on rank or status, not on a blanket trait assigned to a whole group.

The idea being tested is stereotype: a generalized, oversimplified belief about a group that assigns the same traits, abilities, or expectations to all of its members. This definition emphasizes two parts: it’s undifferentiated and simplistic, and it attributes characteristics to everyone in the group. Stereotypes act as cognitive shortcuts that help us quickly categorize people, but they ignore individual differences and can lead to biased judgments or discriminatory behavior when those generalizations are assumed to apply to each person.

For example, thinking that all members of a group share a particular trait—like assuming every member acts a certain way or has the same abilities—fits this concept precisely. This differs from prejudice, which is an attitude or feeling toward a group; it can stem from stereotypes but is about the emotional stance rather than the belief about all members. Racism involves beliefs about racial superiority and systemic power, which is broader than the specific generalization described here. Rankism centers on demeaning others based on rank or status, not on a blanket trait assigned to a whole group.