Abstract
Prejudice is a universal social issue that has frequently led to massive discrimination and even genocide. Simply stated: equality is impossible so long as prejudice exists. Several decades of research has improved our understanding about the psychology of prejudice, yet important questions remain unanswered. Specifically: Is prejudice uniquely human? Are we born to be prejudiced or is it learned? What is the function of prejudice? Potential answers for these questions are characterised by an absence of evidence; subsequently, improving our understanding of the natural history of prejudice is something requiring urgent attention. Here I will discuss how a primatological perspective may better inform us in such a quest. Prospective experiments involving primates will be outlined along with some possible ramifications for the current debate concerning the validity of competing psychological theories of prejudice.
