If I’m Asian I must be short, right?

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Recommended: Causes and effects of stereotypes

People often subject others to a variety of stereotypes, accusing them of being a certain way without regard to what kind of person they actually are. Stereotypes are one or many generalizations of a group of people, whether negative or positive, founded on the basis that a majority of them share said characteristic (McLeod). Though people have come to realize the dastardly consequences of labeling, stereotypes have persisted in our culture, unrelentingly. Why? Stereotypes, whether racial, gender-based, religion-based, age-based, etc., continually permeate our society because it is difficult to undermine the psychological aspects of stereotyping, because of the media, and because it’s easier for people to cope with certain situations when they can generalize a group of people.

The process of stereotyping a person is a cognitive, psychological process. People are given certain information and their mind processes it, imbuing it deep inside the mental crevices of the brain. After the mind processes the first bits of information, it begins to develop a response. After a few occurrences with a specific peoples group that behave in similar ways, the brain begins to associate this behavior with that group of people. It then becomes second nature, a subconscious response, for the brain to stereotype a group of people based on previous encounters (“The Cognitive Roots of Stereotyping”). Although people, well a majority of people, recognize the errors of stereotyping sometimes they cannot help it. It’s not always a conscious decision to view a group of people a certain way, actually a majority of the time it’s probably actually an innocent mistake.

Stereotypes range from milder ones to more caustic and biting ones that undoubtedly offen...

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...e a people’s group; it allows them to bypass all of the strenuous research and analysis necessary to develop an even remotely accurate portrayal of the group of people they are encountering.

Works Cited

Cloud, John. "How Stereotypes Defeat the Stereotyped - TIME." Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com. Web. 06 Nov. 2011.

"The Cognitive Roots of Stereotyping." Adam.oliner.net. Web. 06 Nov. 2011.

Mcleod, Saul. "Stereotypes." Psychology Articles for A-level and Degree Study. Web. 06 Nov. 2011.

"Q and A on Cultural Issues: Stereotypes, Causes of Violence and Affluenza in American Culture." Counseling Services – Marriage, Family, Substance Abuse Counselors | Counseling. Web. 06 Nov. 2011.

"Stereotypes and Prejudices." Holocaust Cybrary Remembering the Stories of the Survivors - Remember.org. Web. 06 Nov. 2011.

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