How do sociologists explain prejudice and discrimination? Sociologists are interested in combating prejudice. Awareness of prejudice and a desire to stop it still require a suspension of belief in...

How do sociologists explain prejudice and discrimination? Sociologists are interested in combating prejudice. Awareness of prejudice and a desire to stop it still require a suspension of belief in stereotypes to be effective. Discrimination is a form of socialization, as stereotypes can become self-fulfilling prophecies. The primordial theory holds that innate conflict exists between in- and out-groups. The frustration-aggression theory says that individuals direct frustration at their own personal lives toward a scapegoat. According to conflict theory, prejudice is a tool used by the elites to control those at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Feminist theory looks at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and so on.