The following points describe the nature of prejudice.
(a) Prejudice is based on inadequate knowledge and information : An individual becomes member of a particular group or community for socialization or for other social reasons. He clings to attitude, beliefs, prejudices etc. followed by the other members of thecommunity. Sometimes these attitudes are based on hispersonal experience. In such situation, any effort to change their prejudices would certainly prove to be futile.
(b) Prejudice is always aggressive : Prejudice lacks complete information. However, the evidences related to prejudice are not examined or tested. Onlypeople's emotions play important role in prejudice. For example : When there is a match between India and Pakistan, people of both the countries wish their own country to win the match. We notice aggressive and negative attitude of people towards their opponents.
(c) Prejudices teaches an individual rationalization : Rationalization is a type of defence mechanism which makes an individual use false or concocted reasons for his behaviour. Such person does not have concrete reasons so he tries to convince others logically for his behaviour or action.
(d) Prejudice arouse poisonous feelings : Since prejudice are negative, they increase negative emotions and negative aggressions in an individual. Due to prejudice, the injustice of negative behaviour done by one party provokes another party to be aggressive. Prejudice give rise to many anti social activities, like communal riots, strikes etc. which increase negative feelings and conflicts.
(e) Prejudice are group oriented : Different members in a group have different type of experience beliefs understanding etc. which cause prejudice to develope. Gradually, the individual prejudice become generalized towards people, religion, group, community etc. For example. If we have seen one businessman who is a cheater then we categorize / consider the whole group of businessman as cheater. Similarly, if there are 3-4 notorious students in a class, the teacher developes prejudice for whole class.
(f) Prejudice is passed on from generation to generation : Being a social animal, a human being undergoes the process of socialization throughout his life. The prejudice is the result of experiences, social conditioning and the present social situation. We notice prejudiced behaviour in elders but not in children. But when the children grow up and become matured, theytoo develope similar type of behaviour. So we can say that prejudice pass from one generation to the next.