Prejudice and bias are closely related words that are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there are important differences in their meaning and tone. Let’s take a look!

What they have in common

Both prejudice and bias refer to a tendency to make a judgement about a person, group, or idea in a way that is not based on reason or evidence. In general terms, they can be used in similar contexts:

The report highlighted widespread racial prejudice in the workplace.

The report highlighted widespread racial bias in the workplace.

Bias

Bias is the broader and more neutral of the two words. It simply refers to a preference or tendency that unfairly influences a judgement or decision. Bias is not always negative:

The judge was accused of bias towards the wealthier party.

Good scientific research must account for bias in its methodology.

Her bias towards classical music meant she rarely listened to anything else.

We also talk about unconscious bias, which refers to prejudices that people hold without being fully aware of them:

The company introduced training to tackle unconscious bias among its managers.

Prejudice

Prejudice is a stronger and more emotionally charged word. It specifically refers to an unreasonable dislike or distrust of a person or group, based on characteristics such as race, gender, religion, or nationality. Prejudice is almost always negative:

He faced terrible prejudice because of his religion.

We must challenge prejudice in all its forms.

Note that prejudice is also commonly used as a verb in legal contexts, meaning to harm or disadvantage someone:

The delay could seriously prejudice the defendant’s case.

In summary, bias is a general term for any unfair tendency, negative or positive, while prejudice is a particularly strong and negative form of bias, usually directed at people.