Discrimination is defined as

• A. Unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people and/or things
• B. Equal treatment of all individuals regardless of category
• C. The policy of free market competition
• D. The process of evaluating risk

Answer: (A)

Discrimination means unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people and/or things, rather than judging individuals on their own merits. It shows up when someone is treated less favorably because of characteristics like race, gender, age, religion, disability, or other protected status, instead of evaluating their qualifications or behavior. This bias can affect hiring, promotions, housing, or access to services, and it undermines fairness and equal opportunity.

In contrast, aiming for equal treatment of all individuals regardless of category reflects a different approach—one that seeks to remove bias and judge people by relevant criteria. Concepts like free market competition and evaluating risk are separate ideas related to economics and risk assessment, not to how people are treated based on category. For example, refusing a job due to someone's race is discrimination; assessing a candidate's skills and experience without regard to race is fair treatment.