Prejudice

Associate Program Material

Stereotypes and Prejudice Worksheet

Please complete the following exercises, remembering that you are in an academic setting and should remain unbiased, considerate, and professional when completing this worksheet.

Part I

Select three of the identity categories below and name or describe at least 3 related stereotypes for each:

Race
Ethnicity
Religion
Gender
Sexual orientation
Age
Disability

Category
Stereotype 1
Stereotype 2
Stereotype 3
Race
All African Americans are good at basketball
White people have no rhythm
All Middle Eastern people hate Americans
Sexual orientation
Males who are homosexual are pedophiles
All lesbians are butch
Transgender are confused about who and what they are and need professional help
Gender
Being a man, means being a bread winner
Being a woman means taking care of the house and children
Woman are supposed to be small and graceful, men are supposed to be tall and broad-shouldered

Part II

Answer each question in 50 to 100 words related to those stereotypes. Provide citations for all the sources you use.

What are the positive aspects of stereotypes, if any?

There are some positive aspects of stereotypes, one benefit is the stereotype will be positive; it can help a person get a job and even build a good reputation. One example is that Asians are good at math, which can be true, but this kind of stereotype will help land a job. Benefiting a positive aspect of a stereotype.

What are the negative aspects of stereotypes?

The negative aspect of stereotype is that it is harmful and demeaning to a large group of people. For example, all African American males are good at basketball. There is no truth, or facts that this is true. To stereotype anyone, we are putting them into a group without knowing them, and this is a negative aspect of stereotyping.

Part III

Answer each question in 50 to 150 words related to those stereotypes. Provide citations for all the sources you use.

Define stereotypes and prejudice. What is the difference between stereotyping and prejudice? Use examples to illustrate the differences.

Stereotype is defined as an unreliable, exaggerated generalization about all members of a group that do not take individual differences into account. (Racial and Ethnic Groups, Schaefer, pg. 40) Prejudice is defined as a negative attitude toward an entire category of people, such as racial or ethnic minority (Racial and Ethnic Groups, Schaefer, pg. 35). An example would be that, I cannot befriend an African American because I am white and I have a stereotype against them that the African American race will cause harm to me because one African American male has harmed me before and I do not feel comfortable with them.

What is the relationship between stereotyping and prejudice?

The relationship between stereotyping and prejudice is that being prejudice we have a negative attitude against a group of people simply because of their race and stereotyping is just the same, you do not take individuality into consideration it is a group of people that we dislike. For example, if a white person broke into my home and robbed me, I would have an unreliable exaggeration about all members in a white race, and I will always dislike them.

What can be done to prevent prejudice from occurring?

In my opinion there is no way to prevent prejudice from occurring. If everyone starts to teach their children today that everyone is created equal, and everyone has individuality than there will still be prejudice. Some individuals or groups believe that their race is the only race that belongs, and they see nothing wrong about what they believe. There are so many forms of being prejudice, that we cannot stop it from happening.