Why Good People Might Still Discriminate: Merton’s Insight

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How are prejudice and discrimination connected?

Are people always consistent in what they believe and how they act?

The sociologist Robert K. Merton developed a model that shows there’s more complexity than we might think.

👇 Click below to watch the short tutorial:

Merton describes four types of people, based on how prejudice (attitude) and discrimination (action) do or do not align:

| Type | Description |

| 1. The Bigot | Prejudiced and discriminates |

| 2. The Fair-Weather Liberal | Not prejudiced, but discriminates (e.g. due to social pressure or fear) |

| 3. The Timid Bigot | Prejudiced, but does not act on it (e.g. due to laws or norms) |

| 4. The All-Weather Liberal | Neither prejudiced nor discriminatory |

This model helps us see that not all discrimination comes from hatred, and not all tolerance is active.

💬 Reflect and Participate

After watching, scroll down and:

- 🗣️ Join the Debate: Can someone be non-prejudiced and still discriminate?

Your thoughts will help us all learn — and change — together.

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