Introduction
Back to: Stereotypes
Most people consider themselves to be largely free of prejudices. But on the other hand, many individuals are able to express decided opinions about people who belong to different countries or population groups. In social psychology those convictions are called „stereotypes„.
The term stereotype dates back to the Greek words stereós (fixed) and týpos (form, shape). It has been introduced to social science by the American journalist and author Walter Lippmann in his book Public Opinion (1922). Lippmann stated that stereotypes usually are clichés that do not do justice to single individuals. As a consequence, in social research stereotypes were often seen as negative, rigid and mistaken opinions 1.
Today the perception of stereotypes accepts positive aspects as well. It has been emphasised that stereotypes have the function of characterising objects, persons or groups, and that this process of characterisation is necessary for an understanding of the world. Individuals have the need to structure complexity and to categorise information in order to reduce uncertainty and to gain orientation.
According to Lippmann, stereotypisation is a basic process of perception and categorisation which is indispensible for a successful coping with reality.
In this online course we are especially interested in stereotypes referring to persons from different cultural backgrounds. One objective of this section is to get aware of typical stereotypes we usually use when facing people from different cultures and to reflect if these stereotypical descriptions are true or not – usually they are not true when applied to individuals we never met before.
Examples of Stereotypes
White Americans are obese and ignorant!
Arabs and Muslims are terrorists!
Older people are narrow-minded!
Italians and French are the best lovers!
Jews are greedy!
Women are bad drivers!
Irish people are drunks and eat potatoes!
Germans are pedantic and have no sense of humour!
Latin American men are machos!
You think that you are largely free of stereotyping thinking patterns? An online test designed by the American National Science Foundation and McGraw-Hill Higher Education (2002) potentially can convince you that you are not.
Check the Implicit Association Test and find out about your stereotypes and prejudice referring to race and/or gender.
Self Reflection
Please think of other stereotypes about cultures, regions or countries you have heard of or you have used yourself! We warmly invite you to share your outcomes in the forum. Click here, to get to the forum.Please think about stereotypes about gender, age groups or other social groups (e.g. students, policemen, farmers…)