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Stereotypes
People often make generalizations and assumptions about others based on certain traits or characteristics. Stereotypes are overgeneralizations about entire social groups based on beliefs people have about the group. For example, there is a stereotype about the kind of person who wears visible tattoos. One might stereotypically associate tattoos with criminals and make the assumption that anyone who has tattoos is also engaged in criminality. This is an overgeneralization about the members of one social group: It may be true that some tattooed people are criminals, but it is unlikely to be true of all tattooed people.
Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination are closely related concepts. Stereotypes constitute the cognitive component of bias, which consists of discriminatory behavior directed toward people solely based on their membership in a social group. Prejudice is the emotional component of bias, and it is based on people’s feelings (usually negative) toward members of a given social group. Although it is possible to have stereotypical beliefs about a group without exhibiting prejudice or discrimination, it is more likely that stereotypes serve to reinforce or justify negative feelings and actions toward members of that group. In the sections that follow, this entry elaborates on stereotype activation, inhibition, and content.
Why Do Stereotypes Become Active?
When we encounter individuals, we automatically categorize them based on their visible social identities such as race, gender, and age. We may also categorize them on invisible social identities such as socioeconomic status, religion, and sexual orientation, to name a few. Social categorization happens automatically, meaning that it happens quickly and involuntarily. Thus, the moment we encounter any given group member, the stereotypes associated with their group become automatically activated and accessible in our minds. Stereotypes are everywhere: we learn them at home, and they are reinforced in society and in the media. Because stereotypes are so pervasive, many individuals know the content of stereotypes for a variety of social groups. It may sound daunting that stereotypes are unavoidable, however our brain’s ability to automatically categorize people helps us conserve cognitive resources.
Inhibiting Automatic Stereotype Activation
It is important to remember that just because a stereotype has been automatically activated does not mean that it has to be applied. Having knowledge about the content of stereotypes does not mean that those stereotypes constitute someone’s personal beliefs. In other words, not everyone endorses these stereotypes. People who do not want stereotypes (beliefs) to manifest in prejudice (feelings) or discrimination (behavior) can control these responses by practicing stereotype inhibition. However, controlling stereotypes can be challenging. Because it takes volitional control, one must have both the motivation and ability to inhibit automatically activated stereotypes. One source of motivation might be a person’s accuracy goals. Individuals who are aware that stereotypes do not accurately reflect all members of a social category might be motivated to form more accurate impressions of group members they encounter. Another source of motivation might be someone’s egalitarian goals. Many people desire to be non-prejudiced, and they could pursue this goal in part by controlling stereotype activation. By replacing automatically activated stereotypes with alternative personal beliefs, individuals can disrupt the typical pattern.
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