What term refers to unequal treatment often stemming from prejudice?

The term that refers to unequal treatment often stemming from prejudice is discrimination. Discrimination can manifest in various forms, including racial, gender-based, age-related, or disability-related discrimination, and it typically arises from biases or stereotypes about different groups of people. This concept highlights how social attitudes can lead to behaviors and policies that create disadvantages for certain individuals or groups.

Cultural transmission refers to the way cultural knowledge, beliefs, and practices are passed from one generation to another, which does not specifically address the issue of unequal treatment based on prejudice. Evolutionary change relates to biological development and the process of natural selection, while ethical implies a concern with what is morally right and does not specifically focus on the social dynamics of prejudice and unequal treatment. Thus, discrimination is the most suitable term for describing the pervasive issue of treating individuals unequally based on inherent prejudices.