The Effects Of Stereotyping

Have you ever heard someone say all Asians are smart, or all women are bad drivers, or all men are messy and unclean? These are all examples of common stereotypes. Stereotypes are preconceived notions about a group of people that are accepted as fact without question. Stereotyping is a part of everyday life and everyone has been stereotyped at some point in their life whether they’ve been conscious to it or not. Whether good or bad, stereotyping can lead to many prejudices and people prejudging a certain group without knowing anything about them. These stereotypes can have negative and positive effects on society and the way we look at certain groups of people. Per UFL.edu, “There are three key factors that explain why stereotypes persist.”
An example of a positive stereotype is all Asians are smart. Although this is a compliment it can also be offensive and very pressuring to a person of the Asian descent. It will make them feel like they must live up to this standard and if they are anything less than what people expect of them they will feel like they aren’t good enough, and it can also make them feel depersonalized. Positive stereotypes don’t always have a positive impact. In a study conducted by Art Markman Ph.D. a white and Asian student were both given a packet of math problems to complete. The white student gave his packet to the Asian student assuming the Asian student would be better fit to complete it. “How about you take this packet… I know all Asians are good at math, how about you take the math packet…” (Markman). The results of this study were the Asian student did worse on the packet than the white student. This alone goes to show that even positive stereotypes aren’t
It shows how we view different groups of people without having any knowledge or understanding. Society views stereotyping as something that is taught at a young age and is difficult to unlearn. Stereotyping has positive and negative effects on one’s life but sometimes the impact of these generalizations can make an individual feel depersonalized. No, all Asians aren’t smart. They are human and have the same academic abilities as academic scholars of other races. Also, all Hispanics are illegal immigrants or trying to obtain a visa. They want to be looked at as regular people just like they rest of us. Hispanics aren’t limited to the amount of jobs they can attain. They can pursue any career option they desire and they are working towards a better life just like most U.S. citizens. The next time you stereotype a certain race or teach your kids these generalizations, think about the many stereotypes society has against you and think about how they make you feel whether they be positive or negative. Remember no one wants to generalized or