In your opinion, where do stereotypes come from?

Question

Please be detailed. I hope to hear what you have to say about this topic. Where do stereotypes come from???

Answer 1

While there is a strong negative connotation with the word "stereotypes," the fact remains that stereotypes are how we make sense of the world.

Imagine if every morning you had to get up and were plopped into a new planet-- new creatures, new customs-- and you had to learn everything all over again every day.  Stereotypes help to navigate certain environments.  You have stereotypes about how the "cool girls" will act in school, or what a football team will look like.  If each of these interactions were completely unexpected, you would be constantly on alert trying to discern a pattern.  

It would be easy to say that stereotypes are bad and should be avoided, but in a lot of ways it can't be helped.  We are all trying to make sense of the world, and in doing that we categorize people.  The problem with stereotypes is when that categorization is accurate and hurtful.

The key is to know what your stereotypes are and to try to work to avoid enacting the stereotype in interaction.

Answer 2

I think they come from a fear of the unknown. When some people are unfamiliar with something and are afraid for whatever reasons to find out about them first hand, they tend to make up stuff.

All it takes is one person to say, "You know I heard those people............." and10 out of 10 times whatever they  heard was from someone of the same race who also doesn't know any better.

And the world goes round and round.

Answer 3

They evidently come from caricatured reality. It's easier to remember the most obvious pieces of information and when you build it back up from memory it is simplified. When you compare this to reality is has some resemblance and so becomes difficult to dismiss entirely.

The particular prejudices of people are easily hung onto the simple caricature.

Answer 4

closed mind.. narrow mind.. that doesn't want to accept diversity

Answer 5

Stereotypes and prejudices go hand in hand. They come from limited knowledge and exposure to some person, culture or idea. Also stereotypes are perpetrated by society and media. Especially the entertainment industry. Many stereotypes are standards that are applied to a whole, even if those standards don't apply to every, all or a large percentage of the whole.

Beyond what you've said, why did you ask this?

Answer 6

probably from sociologists

Answer 7

you can see the answers generated for your question and make a decision who are stereotypes who answered your question and where did they come from

Answer 8

I think maybe from fear coupled with a human desire to chart and categorize - to know - like all those 19th century butterfly catchers and explorers. It makes the world safer for some people to have certainty.

Its also a wee bit lazy thinking -convenient way to shop for friends/not friends.

I think this type of thinking is also compounded by book and film characters for the 'hook' element. You dont need so much explanation if you introduce a ditsy blonde ora tall dark gypsy looking guy with an earring.

Maybe it is also a lot to do with the media and wars - who its all right to make into a celebrity or kill or lock up or give gongs to.

```I think a frightened society really needs it s stereotypes - I have mental health difference but don't look like I do

I think I take some extra punishment psychological beating up for this trickery -

"How dare you not be what I thought you were!." Society has a need for consistency -  to know where the threats are coming from.

We seem to like putting people in boxes Womens' magazines often have these personality tests - How attractive to the opposite s*x are you really?

then only a-b-c-d tick boxes and the answer at the end.

It is strange too the instant relationships that you sort of get pushed into like people begging on the streets or selling big issues - how do I know that they are not nuclear scientists from another country - just because they look poor and need to ask me for money but in that instant that is all they are -poor- because that is all that they are asking for.

I don't have a lot of money and probably just as poor equivalently as I don't have the capacity to make money and am just as 'not accepted yet'

Hmm good question!