The Positive Side of Stereotypes- Research Week 3

This week during my research I decided to find out what the positive side of stereotyping is.Although stereotypes generally have negative implications, they aren't necessarily negative. Stereotypes are basically generalizations that are made about groups. Such generalizations are necessary: in order to be able to interact effectively, we must have some idea of what people are likely to be like, which behaviors will be considered acceptable, and which not. ("Stereotypes / Characterization Frames")I find this to be vary interesting because we don't really no what people are going to be like they could be vary mean or they could be vary nice we don't no that's why we have to have an open mind about things. I think that there are ways to have a positive attitude when it comes to stereotyping others something i think u can do to be more positive towards it is by getting to no that person or that group before you judge them.They might end up being different then you think weather its bad or good you never no till you try that's what i always say.


Burgess, Heidi. "Stereotypes / Characterization Frames." Beyond Intractability. Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Posted: October 2003 .

Week Two-The Search

This week I tryed to find out some ways to stop stereotyping others i found out that u cant stop stereotyping completely but u can limit it. while i was research i found out that Americans are generally considered to be friendly,generous,tolerant,but also arrogant, impatient, and domineering. Asians, on the other hand, were expected to be shrewd and alert, but reserved. Clearly, not all Americans are friendly and generous; and not all Asians are shrewd. If you assume you know what a person is like, and don't look at each person as an individual, you are likely to make errors in your estimates of a person's character.I also found out that when conflict is going on people tend to have a different perspective of the person or persons they are having conflict with for example we have conflict with the middle east and we judge them because of it just like they judge us.

Stereotyping can often be broken or at least limited when a party unexpectedly takes some type of conciliatory action which would have been unthinkable had the stereotype been true. Sometimes called "disarming" moves (though they have nothing to do with military disarmament), these are actions that are surprisingly reasonable. They help break down negative stereotypes as they prove that the enemy is actually reasonable and likable. Another way to solve the problem is by dialogue,
Dialogue is a structured form of communication which emphasizes respectful and attentive listening about deep-rooted feelings, beliefs and experiences. In many cases, the parties may be unwilling to participate in a negotiation process because they don't want to compromise their deeply-held values. Nevertheless, they may be willing to participate in a dialogue where the objective is for the parties to better understand each other and establish a positive relationship with each other without being pressured to change their own views.


University of Colorado. "Inaccurate and Overly Hostile Stereotypes." International Online Training Program On Intractable Conflict 1998 April 23 2008 .

Week One - The Search

One of the first sources I found was a Wikipedia entry on stereotyping. Think that the information there might help people understand what stereotyping is, The article said that a"stereotype is a simplified and/or standardized conception or image with specific meaning, often held in common by one group of people about another group. A stereotype can be a conventional and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image, based on the assumption that there are attributes that members of the other group hold in common. Stereotypes may be positive or negative in tone. people that stereotype usually no nothing about that person." So, this means that .... when we stereotype other for example cheerleaders and jocks alot of time we judge them or they judge us because were not like them.there in a different social group then we are and that's why we think so different of them because we are not familiar to there ways of life.


some of the causes of stereotyping is lack of personal, concrete familiarity that individuals have with persons in other racial or ethnic groups. Lack of familiarity encourages the lumping together of unknown individuals. Psychologists focus on how experience with groups, patterns of communication about the groups, and inter group conflict. For as long as there has been a human species, individuals have been different from one another. Persons have gravitated to groups of other persons like themselves. People create and develop categories of qualities by which to classify the groups; some were based on ancestry. Many of these groupings have become the key factors in determining which groups have political, social, and economic power in the world. what they mean by all this is that it starts to create conflict between different groups of people and that's what cause all of this.


some of the effects of stereotyping it can effect in positive and negative ways The overall effects of stereotyping are seen by many to always be negative.Some people believe that stereotypes are generally based on actual differences. Others believe that they are always false generalizations (by definition). I guess u can say that this will probably be a problem for many of years to come. because that's the way of life we a stereotype groups of people weather its bad or not bad.

"Stereotype." Wikipedia. 18 Apr 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotyping.

Is Stereotyping fair?

Why am i interested in this topic?
There are so many reasons why I'm interested one reason is because I'm going through alot of that in my personal life i have some people that think things of me that are not true so it made me wonder why people are stereotyping me before they even get to no me. Another reason why I'm interested is because i want to no if there is a way to stop this stereotyping.

What I Know?
I think that people shouldn't stereotype others before they even get to no that person. But i also think that its a part of nature because i no that i stereotype people all the time.I no its not a good thing but i look at it as a first impression. When i meet people for the first time I try to guess how they are before i really no who they are. I think everyone does it. Even if your a good person or a bad person.Maybe if everyone tryed to get to no everyone before they judge them then this world be a better place.

Essential Question~ Is stereotyping fair?
Do people stereotype other because of who you hang with or because of what you wear?Do we stereotype people because that's how we were raised or is it just something we do naturally?Do others think stereotyping is fair or unfair? I wonder if its something that everyone does.