What is the primary bias shown by the small business owner in their decision-making process based on ethnicity?

The primary bias demonstrated by the small business owner in their decision-making process regarding ethnicity is prejudice. Prejudice refers to preconceived opinions or judgments about individuals or groups based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, or other demographics, without real knowledge or experience. In this context, it implies that the business owner's decisions are influenced by their attitudes towards people of specific ethnicities rather than objective measures of ability or suitability.

Prejudice often manifests in decisions that favor or disadvantage certain groups simply because of the owner's inherent beliefs or stereotypes. This is distinct from discrimination, which would involve taking action based on those prejudiced beliefs, such as treating individuals differently because of their ethnicity. Bias confirmation, on the other hand, refers to the tendency to favor information that confirms existing beliefs, while informed judgment would indicate a decision-making process based on rational analysis and factual understanding, which does not align with the scenario of bias based on ethnicity. Thus, the identification of prejudice aligns most directly with the described situation.