Dark Magician Girl
New Member
I was listening to a song that had questionable lyrics that could be considered Stereotyping.
In our social ring do we stereotype those less fortunate, those we are threatened by, fear or possibly just because they act different and don't conform to the deemed norm?
Stereotypes are ideas held by some individuals about members of particular groups, based solely on membership in that group. They are often used in a negative or prejudicial sense and are frequently used to justify certain discriminatory behaviors. More benignly, some may express their theories about social reality. Assumed characteristics on a large group of individuals whose beliefs, habits, and realities often disagree with the "NORMAL" image.
Stereotype production may be based on:
Simplification
Exaggeration or distortion
Generalization
Presentation of cultural attributes as being "natural" or unnatural. dots.gif
Unshakable belief in stability of stereotype
Racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination
Historical factors
Stereotypes are seen by many as undesirable beliefs imposed to justify the acts of discrimination and oppression on a given person. Can education and/or familiarization change these misbeliefs? The negative effects range from justification of ill-founded prejudices or ignorance to ones unwillingness to rethink one's attitudes and behavior towards stereotyped group.
On the other hand, stereotypes are a result of our need to selectively perceive our environment. We notice, remember and store the information that is most noticeable (e.g. most strange, different, pleasing or detestable about someone) and that which confirms what we already seem to know. Thus stereotypes help us to 'understand' and structure the complex world around us, because they are a "useful" simplifications. They provide the information about what to expect and how to act concerning certain groups of people. However, direct contact with members of this group may modify the stereotype by adding more and more details, until finally it has to be given up, because the necessary oversimplification and generalization are no longer appropriate.
Stereotypes can be negative or positive, even for the same group. Black men are generally supposed to be good musicians and basketball-players, but at the same time seen as aggressive and likely to take and sell drugs. Asian-American women performed better in maths-tests when being aware of being Asian, and did worse when being reminded of being women. Stereotyping can also be created by the media showing an incorrect judgement of a culture or place, molding people into stereotypes. Do stereotypes and stereotyping influence our preferences?
Stereotypes are a generalization of our characteristics, they reduce complexity, provide stability and also can offer opportunities to identify oneself with others. On another hand a fixed action pattern is an innate, pre-programed response that is repeated when an animal is exposed to an environmental innate releasing mechanism. Stereotypes are borne out of prejudices and not from well-founded thought. Who can actually say that he or she can actually size up a person and know it to be a fact and not speculation or generalisation?
What other ways do our minds find to makes sense of things?
Further example maybe the "popular" kids in your school.
Senerio #1. If you stopped giving popular kids attention they wouldn't be so popular, but then goes the theory of stereotypes and generalization.
The human mind is indeed intriguing.
~Immortality~
**note** When I get bored I write these articles.
Also please don't copy, thankies!
In our social ring do we stereotype those less fortunate, those we are threatened by, fear or possibly just because they act different and don't conform to the deemed norm?
Stereotypes are ideas held by some individuals about members of particular groups, based solely on membership in that group. They are often used in a negative or prejudicial sense and are frequently used to justify certain discriminatory behaviors. More benignly, some may express their theories about social reality. Assumed characteristics on a large group of individuals whose beliefs, habits, and realities often disagree with the "NORMAL" image.
Stereotype production may be based on:
Simplification
Exaggeration or distortion
Generalization
Presentation of cultural attributes as being "natural" or unnatural. dots.gif
Unshakable belief in stability of stereotype
Racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination
Historical factors
Stereotypes are seen by many as undesirable beliefs imposed to justify the acts of discrimination and oppression on a given person. Can education and/or familiarization change these misbeliefs? The negative effects range from justification of ill-founded prejudices or ignorance to ones unwillingness to rethink one's attitudes and behavior towards stereotyped group.
On the other hand, stereotypes are a result of our need to selectively perceive our environment. We notice, remember and store the information that is most noticeable (e.g. most strange, different, pleasing or detestable about someone) and that which confirms what we already seem to know. Thus stereotypes help us to 'understand' and structure the complex world around us, because they are a "useful" simplifications. They provide the information about what to expect and how to act concerning certain groups of people. However, direct contact with members of this group may modify the stereotype by adding more and more details, until finally it has to be given up, because the necessary oversimplification and generalization are no longer appropriate.
Stereotypes can be negative or positive, even for the same group. Black men are generally supposed to be good musicians and basketball-players, but at the same time seen as aggressive and likely to take and sell drugs. Asian-American women performed better in maths-tests when being aware of being Asian, and did worse when being reminded of being women. Stereotyping can also be created by the media showing an incorrect judgement of a culture or place, molding people into stereotypes. Do stereotypes and stereotyping influence our preferences?
Stereotypes are a generalization of our characteristics, they reduce complexity, provide stability and also can offer opportunities to identify oneself with others. On another hand a fixed action pattern is an innate, pre-programed response that is repeated when an animal is exposed to an environmental innate releasing mechanism. Stereotypes are borne out of prejudices and not from well-founded thought. Who can actually say that he or she can actually size up a person and know it to be a fact and not speculation or generalisation?
What other ways do our minds find to makes sense of things?
Further example maybe the "popular" kids in your school.
Senerio #1. If you stopped giving popular kids attention they wouldn't be so popular, but then goes the theory of stereotypes and generalization.
The human mind is indeed intriguing.
~Immortality~
**note** When I get bored I write these articles.
Also please don't copy, thankies!
