Adae

Abstract

Stereotyping is a form of prejudice and is also the root of racism and discrimination. A stereotype usually applies to a whole group of people who do something in a certain way. To them, it seems natural, but to some people it's weird. Often, a name is given to the group, and to every individual. When society has an exaggerated idea about a group of people, when you see someone who seems to fit the description you judge them as that stereotype.
Some stereotypes are called labels, because it's literally like a label stuck to you. We can make a generalization about fire, that it burns and could kill you if you let it. Now, from your experience with fire, you can say, fires are hot, and they hurt you. This same principle can apply to people. Consequently, they fail to judge people based on their merits and individual traits but on generalized notions derived from popular culture. There is a fine distinction between innate behaviors opposed to conditioned behaviors. Stereotyping would not come as an automatic reflex action in any situation, thus it can be said that it is not an instinctive behavior. For example, the stereotypes that women are supposed to be very thin can be very harmful to a woman's self-esteem. Even positive stereotyping can be harmful to groups and individuals. Stereotyping can have severe ever lasting effect on people and on the society on whole. Even after a person leaves a situation where they faced negative stereotypes, the effects of coping with that situation remain. People are more likely to be aggressive after they've faced prejudice in a given situation. Common catalysts for influencing such beliefs like racism, sexism, ethnocentrism, and stereotyping are media, like newspaper articles and headlines, television programs, and radio broadcastings, etc. Labeling people into certain group might make it seem easy to understand people, but the truth is it's not easy, because life isn't easy. Being stereotyped robs one of his...