There is only a fine line between generalization and sterotype. What are the differences?

Question

There is only a fine line between generalization and sterotype. What are the differences?

Answer 1

It means that I keep my open when I am around the group stereotyped as the bad group in my area, but I dont automatically believe they are going to harm me just because they are in that specific group.

Answer 2

Stereotypes are essentially overfunctioning generalizations. If a person sees five black men on the news stealing cars, then that person may associate being black with thievery.

However, that is obviously incorrect, but in a different way. Racial minorities are at a higher risk of many "social problems," but it's not ultimately their fault. It's the fault of the racial majority for ignoring them and oppressing them for so long. So there are other variables.

The difference between a generalization and a stereotype is often the ignorance of a handful of those very important variables.