What is the term for negative attitudes and preconceived ideas towards a entire group of people?

The correct answer, "prejudice," refers to the negative attitudes and preconceived ideas directed at an entire group of people. Prejudice often stems from stereotypes and is characterized by an unjustified or irrational belief about individuals based solely on their membership in a particular group, such as race, ethnicity, gender, or religion. This term captures the essence of attitude formation and the emotional responses that people may have towards a group, leading to discrimination or unfair treatment.

In contrast, stereotyping involves ascribing specific characteristics or behaviors to an entire group based on oversimplified generalizations, which may or may not align with reality. Bias refers to a tendency to favor or disfavor one group over another but doesn't inherently imply the negative connotation that prejudice does. Discrimination is the action that results from prejudiced beliefs, where individuals are treated unfairly based on their group identity. Thus, while all these terms relate to how individuals think and act towards others, "prejudice" specifically captures the negative attitude aspect of this phenomenon.