Which term refers to having preconceived unreasonable attitudes regarding members of certain demographics?

The term that aptly describes having preconceived unreasonable attitudes regarding members of certain demographics is prejudice. Prejudice refers to the negative or favorable judgment or belief that one holds about individuals based on their membership in a particular group, often without any personal experience with those individuals. This concept encompasses attitudes that are not based on direct knowledge or interaction, making it a form of bias that is specifically entrenched in stereotypes about groups.

Prejudice can lead to discrimination, which is the action taken based on those preconceived attitudes, but the key element here is the attitude itself rather than the resulting behaviors. This distinction is crucial in understanding how societal views are formed and can lead to broader social implications.

While terms like bias and stigma serve related functions in discussing attitudes and perceptions towards specific groups, they lack the specificity that 'prejudice' offers when focusing purely on the irrationality of the attitudes themselves. Bias might imply a more neutral inclination or favor toward a particular view, while stigma often relates to the social disapproval attached to certain characteristics or identities. Thus, the use of the term 'prejudice' clearly identifies the unreasonable and preconceived nature of the attitudes in question.