Define it: An oversimplified
generalised set of ideas that we
have about other (those who belong
to a particular social or physical
group)
We make a snap
judgement of someone and
assign them to a category
Advantages
When we dont have time
to form a full impression
of people we meet, it's
helpful to make a snap
judgemnet.
It helps us to
remember
information about
others
Enable people to respond
appropriately when meeting
people for the first time
Enable us to fit
in with their own
group and feel a
sense of
belonging due to
their shared
beliefs
Disadvantages
Once learnt by
children they can be
difficult to overcome
Most stereotypes
promote a harmful
image
They stop people seeing
the real person when they
meet for the first time as
it leads to assumptions
They lead people to view
members of their outgroup in a
negative way
Outgroup: Someone
who doesnt have
something in common
with you
Practical Implications.
Research shows that
most stereotypes
promote harmful beliefs,
therefore for those who
meet someone new for
the first time tend to
make mistakes about
them. Stereotypes can
cause people to stop
seeing what another
person is really like.
Research shows that stereotypes can be
hard to overcome by children, therefore
as children learn by observing and
imitating, the media to prevent
stereotypes from being imitated by the
children, for example: In Bob the builder,
Wendy now works