Treatment stemming from institutional culture or policies rather than individual action is an example of what?

• A. Institutional Discrimination
• B. Latent Learning
• C. External Locus of Control
• D. Cultural Relativism

Answer: (A)

Treatment that stems from institutional culture or policies reflects discrimination built into the structures of organizations. When policies, procedures, and norms within schools, workplaces, or systems produce unequal treatment for certain groups—regardless of any individual’s intentions—the bias is systemic, not simply about one person’s actions. This is the essence of institutional discrimination: the effect of supposedly neutral rules that still disadvantage some groups.

Latent learning isn’t about biased systems; it’s about acquiring knowledge without immediate reinforcement. An external locus of control relates to whether someone feels outcomes are controlled by themselves or by outside forces, not to patterns of discrimination embedded in institutions. Cultural relativism is about evaluating cultures on their own terms, not about biased practices within organizations. So the described scenario best fits institutional discrimination.