Discrimination: Individual and Institutional (8C) Practice Test

A scholarship committee evaluated discrimination in awards. Applications were scored on “polish of personal statement,” and reviewers could optionally request an interview. The university also required that finalists attend an in-person interview during business hours without providing travel stipends. The report referenced cultural capital and argued that institutional processes can favor applicants with greater access to valued norms and resources. Which conclusion is most consistent with cultural capital contributing to institutional discrimination?

A state agency investigated discrimination in unemployment benefit approvals. Caseworkers conducted interviews and sometimes asked follow-up questions not required by the script. The agency also used a rule that automatically denied claims when applicants missed a phone call, with no option to reschedule. The report referenced administrative burden: learning, compliance, and psychological costs created by policy design. Which conclusion is most consistent with administrative burden as a source of institutional discrimination?