What is stereotyping?

• A. Judging an individual by their own traits alone.
• B. Judging a group based on opinions or limited encounters, which can be positive or negative.
• C. A policy that ensures equal treatment.
• D. A form of discrimination that is illegal.

Answer: (B)

Stereotyping is using beliefs about a group to judge individuals just because they belong to that group. Those beliefs often come from limited experiences, anecdotes, or media portrayals and can color how you perceive someone without considering their unique traits. That matches the idea captured here: judging a group based on opinions or limited encounters, which can be positive or negative. It’s a cognitive shortcut, but it overgeneralizes and can lead to unfair assumptions about people.

Why the other phrases don’t fit: judging someone solely by their own traits focuses on the individual, not the group-wide generalization stereotyping involves. A policy that ensures equal treatment is about nondiscrimination and fairness, not about applying group-based beliefs. A form of discrimination that is illegal describes consequences or legality, whereas stereotyping describes a biased way of thinking that can contribute to discrimination but isn’t itself a specific legal category.