0day streak
Well-established
Social
Stereotyping
Social-cognitive biasDefinition
The tendency to apply generalized beliefs about a group to an individual member without considering their unique characteristics.
Why it happens
Stereotypes are cognitive shortcuts that help us process social information quickly. While sometimes containing a kernel of truth, they oversimplify and often lead to inaccurate judgments.
Real-life examples
- Assuming someone is good at math based on their ethnicity.
- Expecting an elderly person to be technologically incompetent.
- Assuming a man isn't nurturing or a woman isn't assertive.
How to counter it
- Pause and ask: "Am I making an assumption based on a group, not this individual?"
- Seek out examples that contradict the stereotype.
- Get to know individuals personally before forming judgments.
- Expose yourself to diverse media that breaks common stereotypes.
Quick tips
- Treat each person as an individual with unique qualities.
- Challenge your assumptions by seeking contradictory evidence.
- Expose yourself to diverse examples that break stereotypes.
- Ask: 'Am I making assumptions about this person based on a group they belong to?'
Sources and further reading
- The nature of prejudice
Addison-Wesley