That's interesting Joe when you mention pre-conditioned responses. We have to navigate around our neighbourhoods and try to keep safe by being alert and trusting our instincts. And those instincts have probably been conditioned by a myriad influences - TV documentaries, our parents' warnings as a child, experiences of friends, news items etc. I'd be more wary of being followed by a man along a street at night than by a woman. I tend to think men are more dangerous. But this isn't necessarily true. Is this bigotry, prejudice or what is called in UK 'using your loaf' ?
And would one have more faith in an older doctor than a young fresh-faced one? Or a male doctor? Or a doctor who spoke with a foreign accent? What about a vicar who was gay? Would he/she be acceptable? Why/why not? I think this is a very complex subject, and fascinating.

(By the way Joe, if chap in UK "had his pants halfway down" he'd be exposing a lot more than his underwear!)