Although progress has been made, prejudice and discrimination still exist. In the United States and globally, people get differential or unfavorable treatment, which has negative consequences. Discrimination is usually based on prejudice. Prejudice is the prejudgment of a person or situation based on attitudes.

We tend to have developed biases as to whom we like and dislike, and we tend to like people who are like us. We are more attached to our agenda and biases than we realize, because it is often subconscious. We tend to view the world from our own self-focused view with an ethnocentric view of our group being the best or right. We need to break away from our prejudices that cloud our position. Like organizations, we need to develop a global mind-set.

If someone were to ask you, “Are you prejudiced?” you would probably say no. However, we all tend to prejudge people and situations. Recall first impressions and the four-minute barrier. In four minutes you don’t have time to get to know someone, yet you make assumptions that affect your behavior. Stereotyping as the process of generalizing the behavior of all members of a group.

Your prejudice is often based on your stereotype of the group. To prejudge or stereotype a person or situation in and of itself is not harmful; we all tend to do this. Although prejudice is not always negative, if you discriminate based on your prejudice, you may cause harm to yourself and other parties. Discrimination is behavior for or against a person or situation.