stereotype

stereotypeMeaning:•Afixedideaorimagethatmanypeoplehaveaparticulartypeofpersonorthing,butwhichisoftennottrueinreality.•Readtheshortstoryandanswerthequestions.•Mr.Biasisthedirectorofasmallprivatecompany.Heisinterviewingcandidatesforthepositionofassistantmanager.Heselectsabrightandambitiousapplicant.Later,hediscoversthatthisapplicantisfromthecountryofLevadel(afictitiousnation).SincehethinksallLevadeliansarestupidandlazy,hedecidestoselectsomeoneelsefortheposition.Questions•WhatdoyouthinkofMr.Bias’decision?•Whatmistakedidhecommit?Answers•Hisdecisionisprejudiced.•Hecommittedthemistakethattreatpeoplewithstereotyping.Whystereotypesarepervasive?•Thereasonforthepervasivenatureofstereotypesisthathumanbeingshaveapsychologicalneedtocategorizeandclassify.Theworldweconfrontistoobig,toocomplexandtootransitoryforustoknowitinallitsdetails.Hence,wewanttoclassifyandpigeonhole.Stereotypes,becausetheytendtobeconvenient,helpuswithourclassifications.•First,stereotypesfailtospecifyindividualcharacteristics.•Second,stereotypesalsokeepusfrombeingsuccessfulascommunicatorsbecausetheyareover-simplified,over-generalized,and/orexaggerated.•Third,stereotypestendtoimpedeinterculturalcommunicationinthattheyrepeatandreinforcebeliefsuntiltheyoftenbecometakenfor“truth”.Stereotypeshamperinterculturalcommunicationforanumberofreasons.Wheredoweacquirestereotypes?•First,peoplelearnstereotypesfromtheirparents,relatives,andfriends.•Second,stereotypesdevelopthroughlimitedpersonalcontact.•Finally,manystereotypesareprovidedbythemassmedia.TV,forexample,hasbeenguiltyofprovidingdistortedimagesofmanyethnicgroups.Howtolearnaboutanotherculturewithoutfallingintostereotyping?Wehavetobeawarethatnotwogroupsareeitherpolaroppositesorexactlyalike.Wecarefullymakegeneralizations,butweconstantlyremindourselvesthatpeoplearedifferentevenwithinonecultureinspiteofmanythingstheyshare,andthatthesegeneralizationsmayapplytosomepeopletoacertainextentatcertaintimes,butcertainlynottoeveryoneatalltimes.Innotherwords,weshouldalwaysbeawareofthelimitsofgeneralizationsaboutanyculture.