STEREOTYPE & PREJUDICE
COMM 321 & COMM 322 INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION The termstereotypederivesfrom theGreekwords (stereos), "firm, solidand
(typos)impression" hence "solid impression". Think LOCAL before Global;
Stereotyping Think LOCAL beforeGlobal; Stereotype STEREOTYPES ARE GENERALIZATIONSABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHEREBY WE ATTRIBUTE A DEFINED SET OFCHARACTERISTICS TO THIS GROUP. ASTEREOTYPEIS A POPULAR BELIEFABOUT SPECIFIC TYPES OF INDIVIDUALS. STEREOTYPES STEREOTYPES ARE CLASSIFICATION, ANDSTANDARDIZED AND SIMPLIFIEDCONCEPTIONS OF GROUPS BASED ONSOME PRIOR ASSUMPTIONS. THESE CLASSIFICATIONS CAN BE POSITIVEOR NEGATIVE, SUCH AS WHEN VARIOUS NATIONALITIES ARE STEREOTYPED AS FRIENDLY OR UNFRIENDLY. STEREOTYPES An oversimplified image or statement applied to awhole group of people, without regard for theindividual. ANOTHER NAME FOR STEREOTYPING IS BIAS. Bias is a predisposition to see events, people oritems in a positive or negative way. Bias is an attitude or belief. What are stereotypes? STEREOTYPES ARE A HIGHLY SIMPLIFIED, GENERAL ANDEXAGGERATED TYPE OF REPRESENTATION THEY ARE ALSOOFTEN NEGATIVE HOWEVER- THEY GENERALLY ALWAYS CONTAIN A GRAINOF TRUTH. MEN ONLY MOW, TAKE OUT TRASH, AND BUILD/FIX THINGS
MEN ARE STRONGER, BETTER AT SPORTS, AND ALL MEN GET IN FIGHTS
MEN CAN'T COOK MEN DON'T DO LAUNDRY WOMEN STEREOTYPES WOMEN BELONG IN THE KITCHEN
WOMEN SHOULDN'T PLAY SPORTS
We all need to understand stereotypes
Use these questions to ask yourself how you areinfluenced by stereotypes: Does something about this persons appearance orbehavior make me think that they are better or worse? What is the basis for making this assumption? Stereotypes What labels am I consciously or subconsciouslyapplying to this person? To what cultural group am I assuming this personbelongs to? What do I know about that group and that groupswithin-group differences? Am I thinking globally? WHY ARE STEREOTYPES USED?
STEREOTYPES OFFER A SHORTCUT FOR MEANINGAS THEY CONVEY A LOT OF INFORMATIONQUICKLY. STEREOTYPES CONDENSE COMPLEX INFORMATIONINTO A CHARACTER WHO IS EASY TO RECOGNISEAND EASY TO DEAL WITH. STEREOTYPES ARE OFTEN OF MINORITY GROUPS. STEREOTYPING CAN BE USED TO MARGINALISEAND DEVALUE GROUPS WITHIN SOCIETY . A "STEREOTYPE" IS A GENERALIZATION ABOUT APERSON OR GROUP OF PERSONS.
WE DEVELOP STEREOTYPES WHEN WE ARE UNABLEOR UNWILLING TO OBTAIN ALL OF THE INFORMATION WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE FAIR JUDGMENTS ABOUT PEOPLE ORSITUATIONS. IN THE ABSENCE OF THE "TOTAL PICTURE," STEREOTYPES IN MANY CASES ALLOW US TO "FILL IN THE BLANKS." TELEVISION, BOOKS, COMIC STRIPS, AND MOVIESARE ALL ABUNDANT SOURCES OF STEREOTYPEDCHARACTERS.
FOR MUCH OF ITS HISTORY, THE MOVIE INDUSTRYPORTRAYED AFRICAN-AMERICANS AS BEINGUNINTELLIGENT, LAZY, OR VIOLENCE-PRONE. IN THE SAME WAY, PHYSICALLY ATTRACTIVEWOMEN HAVE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO BEPORTRAYED AS UNINTELLIGENT OR UNINTELLECTUAL AND SEXUALLY PROMISCUOUS. Where Do Stereotypes Come From? STEREOTYPES ARE OFTEN USED INBOOKS TO PROJECT THE CHARACTERSON TELEVISION SHOWS.
IT IS ALSO USED IN ADVERTISING TOSELL PRODUCTS. STEREOTYPES ARE ALSO PASSED ONFROM ADULTS TO THEIR CHILDRENTHROUGH COMMENTS MADE ABOUTPEOPLE AND PLACES. What Problems are caused by Stereotyping? STEREOTYPES ARE OFTEN ACCEPTED ASTRUTHS.
STEREOTYPES LEADS TO MISTAKEN BELIEFABOUT ONESELF. STEREOTYPING CAN AFFECT YOURJUDGMENTS OF PEOPLE OR INDIVIDUALS. IT CAN LEAD TO DISCRIMINATION. IT DAMAGES SELF-IMAGE AND SELF-ESTEEM. Stereotyping Task The Media and Stereotyping The media uses stereotypes all the time. In small groups draw and annotate acommon media stereotype. Remember to focus on how they areconstructed physical appearance,behavioural and speech characteristics. Describe a Time When You
were exposed to stereotypes in media (TV, movie,music, etc).What message did it send? when you have been the recipient or target of astereotype?How did that affect you? when you have witnessed someone else beingstereotyped?What did you do? We must be the change we want to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi
Communication provides the legs for bias, carryingit from person to person, from generation to generation. Eventually, however, communication will be the way to end discrimination. John N. BaileyABC, Exec. Director, International Association of Business Communicators We must be the change we want to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi Gender Stereotypes Around the World ITS EASY TO THINK THAT SOME BEHAVIORS AREJUST INHERENTLY MALE OR FEMALE.
BOYS LIKE TO PLAY WITH TRUCKS. GIRLS LIKE TO PLAY WITH DOLLS. MEN PROPOSE MARRIAGE, WOMEN TAKE THEIRHUSBANDS LAST NAME. BUT WHAT MAY BE NORMAL IN THE WESTERNWORLD ISNT NECESSARILY SO ACROSS THEGLOBE. Belgium: Boys Wear Pink
When its time to paint a babys bedroomor pick out an outfit, many of us in thewestern world immediately choose pink forgirls and blue for boys. But it wasnt always that way, and, insome places, it still isnt. In Belgium, this is still considered normal. . E De of Vietnam: Men Take Womens Last Names
The E De ethnic group of Souther Vietnamhas one of the most female-centriccultures in the world: all the property is owned by women, andinherited by daughters. Men move into their brides longhouse, like the one in the picture, and take their brides family name : Japan: Only Women Give Gifts on Valentines Day
American men often pick up some roses,a box of chocolates or maybe even adiamond or two for their female partners. But in Japan, the reverse is true. Wow!,Japanese women buy their men gifts onValentines Day usually just chocolate. Various Arab Countries: Male Friends Hold Hands
, In 2005, George W. Bush made headlines after a pictureof him holding hands withSaudi Crown Prince Abdullah in the Western World, where hand-holding among adultsis generally reserved for couples, its quite common inmuch of the Arab world hand-holding is a common sign of friendship amongpeople of the same gender. Mauritania: Obese Women are the Most Attractive
In Mauritania, a small country in West Africa, thefatter a woman is, the more attractive she is. Obesity is considered a sign of wealth, and thinnessis considered a sign of poverty and sickliness. Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau: Women Propose to Men
. Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau: Women Propose to Men On this small archipelago off the coast of WesternAfrica, its the women who propose marriage tothe men and the men cant refuse Women prepare a special dish for their husbands- to-be, a symbolic gesture akin to the westernworlds getting down on one knee. PREJUDICES Prejudices WHAT IS A PREJUDICE?
A PREJUDICE IS A JUDGMENT TOWARDS APERSON OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE, USUALLYUNFAVORABLE PREJUDICES CAN REFER TO... GENDER, USUALLYAGAINST WOMEN... BUT ALSO AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS PREJUDICES CAN REFER TO... SOCIAL CLASS,EITHER AGAINST POOR PEOPLE... SOCIAL CLASS PREJUDICES OR RICH PEOPLE Prejudices PREJUDICES CAN ALSO REFER TO AGE
SOME PEOPLE HAVE RACIAL PREJUDICES SOME PEOPLE HAVE RELIGIOUS PREJUDICES OTHERS HAVE PREJUDICES AGAINST DIFFERENTNATIONALITIES OR AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE HANDICAPPEDOR DISABLED Social Sources of Prejudice
SOCIAL CATEGORIZATION- DIVIDE WORLD INTOIN-GROUP (US) AND OUT-GROUP (THEM) IN-GROUP BIAS- VIEW OWN GROUP MOREFAVORABLY Prejudices PREJUDICES ARE: IRRATIONAL UNFAIR DANGEROUS,
BECAUSE THEY MAY RESULT IN IRRATIONALVIOLENCE BASED ON IRRATIONAL BELIEFS WE ALL HAVE PREJUDICES... PREJUDICES HAVE A CULTURAL AND HISTORICALORIGIN SOMETIMES. SOME OTHER TIMES, THEY ARE BASED ON ANIRRATIONAL FEAR TO THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENTTO US. Prejudices SO WHEN YOU MEET SOMEONE NEW,
WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE WHO IS DIFFERENT TOYOU, FORGET YOUR PREJUDICES! MOST OF THE TIMES YOUR PREJUDICES WILL BEWRONG IF YOU USE THEM FOR THAT PERSON! TAKE YOUR TIME. DONT JUDGE SOMEONE WITHOUT TALKING TOTHAT PERSON, OR WITHOUT LISTENING TO HIM ORHER BEFORE! Reducing Prejudice SOCIAL LEARNING INCREASE INTERGROUP CONTACT
TEACH PARENTS TO SOCIALIZE CHILDREN TO BE TOLERANT INCREASE INTERGROUP CONTACT CONTACT MUST INVOLVE COOPERATION AND INTERDEPENDENCE NORMS FAVORING GROUP EQUALITY MUST EXIST FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL-BASED (VS. CATEGORY) PROCESSING FOCUS ON SIMILARITIES BETWEEN IN-GROUP ANDNONTHREATENING OUT-GROUP EXTENDED CONTACT HYPOTHESIS KNOWING THAT MEMBERS OF IN-GROUP HAVE FORMEDFRIENDSHIPS WITH OUT-GROUP MEMBERS MAY REDUCE PREJUDICE 4 10 10 Key Terms & Concepts Ethnocentrism The belief that ones own cultural or ethnic group is superiorto all others Chinese word for China = Center of the World Stereotypes is generalization that does not allow for differences. Prejudice is a negative opinion, prejudgment or attitude about a group orits individual members. Often accompanied by ignorance, fear or hatred Discrimination is a behavior that treats people unequally because of theirgroup memberships. Often begins with negative stereotypes and prejudices Racism when one cultural group oppresses another group Prejudice + power Xenophobia is dislike or a fear of people from different countries, cultures,origins, language, religion, etc... IT IS HARDER TO CRACK A PREJUDICE THAN AN ATOM. ALBERT EINSTEIN