STEREOTYPING

Stereotypes are formed because we need to compile information about the surrounding people. We simplify the picture of the world, making it more understandable for ourselves, which results in the formation of stereotypes. Problems arise when stereotypes are overly generalized or wrong. Stereotypes are as old as human culture itself. They are the one who generates ideas and propositions that a specific of people hold about those people who are entirely different from them in several ways. There is a widespread opinion about the individual qualities of human groups, defining the attitude and behavior to them when interacting with these groups. Examples of stereotypes are statements like "women are more emotional than men". (Stangor, p. 55)

Psychological stereotyping premise is the need to consolidate information about people around us. Therefore, the use of stereotypes is a purposeful strategy of social cognition. Problems arise when stereotypes are overly generalized or wrong. Stereotypes may affect both the conscious and subconscious levels. For example, negative judgments against national and racial minorities tend to be socially disapproved. However, at a conscious level, stereotypes of superiority of races and nations are not pronounced. However, this does not mean that they have disappeared altogether. Suppose, arguing that the choice in favor of the applicant to the important post of representative of their ethnic group against people of other nationalities who have made this choice may be sincere protest against the fact that racial preferences have played a decisive role.

Figure 1.1

The phenomenon of intra-group bias can also be related to stereotypes. It has been said that we expressed appreciation to members of a group to which ourselves belong and lower members of other groups. The concept of "group" in this case can vary over a very wide range from the occupants of a home to people of one country. The effectiveness of the stereotype is expressed when people belonging to one group or another is determined by random factors such as classroom or fans of one team).

What determines the formation of a stereotype? Of course, they are based on real differences between men and women, persons of different professions, ages and nationalities. We normally get information about them by our own experiences, from their friends and loved ones of the media. However, as ourselves, as well as other sources of information, which we use, are exposed to various distorting phenomena, reduces the accuracy of social perception.

Over-generalizing stereotypes leads to ...