Define discrimination.

Discrimination refers to unjust or prejudicial treatment of individuals or groups, often based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, or religion. The definition captures the essence of how discrimination manifests in society, reflecting biases and stereotypes that lead to unequal treatment. This unjust treatment can be institutionalized, whereby policies and practices perpetuate inequality, or interpersonal, where individuals behave in biased ways toward others based on their group membership.

The other choices highlight positive social concepts like fairness, equality, and cooperative behaviors, which are important in discussions about social justice and psychology but do not accurately define discrimination. Instead, they represent ideals that stand in contrast to the concept of discrimination itself. Thus, the identification of discrimination as unjust treatment based on stereotypes is essential for understanding its nature and implications in social contexts.