Discrimination derives from the unjust or inequitable treatment of people based on socially constructed characteristics, such as one’s race, gender, age, or disability, rather than individual credentials or characteristics.
Discrimination occurs on individual, larger institutional and societal levels, and results cumulatively in damage to one’s mental health, loss of self-esteem, and the subsequent loss of opportunities. For example, qualified candidates may be denied positions because of an employer’s ethnic bias, which is a direct reflection of one’s social capabilities rather than a candidate’s. There is a well-documented and direct cause-and-effect relationship that chronic exposure to discriminatory environments results in elevated levels of stress and anxiety, depression, and even heart problems, such as high blood pressure.
In learning theory, discrimination refers to the recognition of and response to different stimuli, such as the perception of a safe or threatening situation. Social-psychological theories state that the absence of social or cultural integration in the form of discrimination derives from prejudicial attitudes and stereotypes, which serve to reinforce social inequities. Discrimination is countered by the promotion of a culture of inclusivity, the exercise of equal rights, and the instilling of compassion and education. Psychologists aim to equip the individual with discrimination coping techniques while working towards systemic discrimination reduction in the psychotherapy and counseling domains.