Stereotypes

Defining the Concept

Stereotypes are typically considered to be negative thoughts held by one social group toward another social group; however, the thoughts may also be positive or neutral. Given that stereotypes are social constructs, marginalized communities tend to be viewed through stereotypes that are more damaging and slanderous than are stereotypes of communities holding a higher status in the culture. Many of the stereotypes of African Americans tend to be derogatory in comparison with other ethnic groups that don't share a similar role in U.S. history. This can be easily understood if one considers typical stereotypes of African Americans compared with typical stereotypes of French Americans.

Psychologists have argued that everyone is guilty of stereotyping at one time or another and probably uses stereotypes on a daily basis. One way to manage all the infinite social stimuli one is challenged to interpret on a regular basis is to summarize all the information into manageable chunks. These chunks of information give rise to stereotypes. For example, it is difficult to look at each Jewish American as an individual who is unique and different from all other Jewish Americans. Social scientists have found that people tend to form stereotypes about people in groups. Someone who believes that all Jewish Americans “eat bagels, are frugal, and pretend to have liberal political views” would be guilty of having a stereotype about Jewish Americans. Likewise, someone having a belief that all African Americans “like basketball, fried chicken, watermelon, and rap music” would be guilty of having stereotypes about African Americans. Stereotypes often become a part of the cultural belief system, and they are resistant to change and persist over time. Thus, even though many of the stereotypes about African Americans [Page 1278]derive from the racist period of slavery, these stereotypes continue to exist.

Examples of Stereotypes

Current examples of stereotypes include the hypothetical beliefs of certain European American students that Hispanic students with English as a second language are not as intelligent as are European Americans. The number of stereotypes one group holds regarding another can be endless and context dependent. In a classroom setting, for example, European Americans may have one set of stereotypes about Hispanic American students, but in another setting, such as the cafeteria, the stereotypes may be related to beliefs about the types of foods Hispanic Americans enjoy eating.

A positive stereotype is a belief system one group has about another group that members of the first group would like to emulate. For example, someone who believes that all Hispanic Americans students are bilingual may be motivated to learn a new language. Stereotypes of Asian Americans often tend to suggest that they are the “model minority”: smart, studious, and quiet. Although some would consider these stereotypes to be positive, they can actually be just as damaging and slanderous as more overtly negative stereotypes and, furthermore, could be particularly damaging for Asian Americans who do not fit these stereotypes.

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