Adaptive discrimination is often a result of:

Adaptive discrimination refers to the behavior that arises in social contexts where individuals or groups adjust their attitudes or actions based on their environment, including peer pressures and situational influences. This concept highlights how societal norms and external pressures can lead people to conform to discriminatory practices, often unconsciously, as a way to fit in or respond to what they perceive as acceptable or expected within a given group.

In this context, environmental influences such as cultural norms, social expectations, and peer behavior can shape an individual's outlook and responses toward others, leading to discriminatory actions that adapt to these pressures. This is particularly salient in group settings where the desire for social cohesion can override personal values or beliefs about equality.

The other choices might focus more on individual or systemic factors that contribute to discrimination rather than the adaptive nature of it. For example, personal beliefs challenge individual ideologies but do not primarily address the social adaptability aspect. Similarly, systematic approaches or legal standards pertain more to institutional practices rather than the dynamic and often unconscious adjustments made in social interactions.