Stereotypes

Stereotypes

Q6. How can stereotypes serve both negative and positive functions? In your opinion, do the positive functions justify the use of racial stereotypes?

Ans: Stereotypes work best if there is little contact with, and first-hand knowledge about, the people categorized. In this way, the categorizers do not have to deal with intracultural and intercultural diversity, which is messy. Americans today have little knowledge about American Indians, yet everyone theoretically can recognize an Indian. What they recognize, however, is the stereotype, based on phenotypes. This situation allows stereotypes to flourish and gain permanency because stereotypes are about the unknown but presumed known. And ...