When it comes to stereotypes, there is always a hint of truth to it. A stereotype is defined as “a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment” (“Stereotype”). Basically what this definition means is that a statement is formed about a group that applies to few, but not all, members. So why do some people get so upset over a stereotype? Do they have a reason to be upset? To figure this out, we must find out a few things. Why do we stereotype, what are some examples of stereotypes, and what benefits or detriment could come of it.

We as humans tend to stereotype things and people, regardless if we mean to or not. It’s just what happens. According to Paul Bloom during in interview, “For the most part, we make good guesses both in the social domain and in the non-social domain and if we weren't able to do so - we weren't able to make guesses about new instances that we encounter, we wouldn't survive.” What Bloom is saying is that it is human instinct to stereotype, as if we didn’t, it could influence are chances of survival. We stereotype because we have to, we don’t get a choice. Anyone who says they don’t stereotype can’t be telling the truth. So how do we determine what is a stereotype and what isn’t?

Well, there are many examples of a stereotype. As well as may types of stereotypes. There are gender stereotypes, cultural stereotypes, racial stereotypes, and group stereotypes. Some examples of gender stereotypes are that men are strong and do the hard work, or that women are bad at sports. Examples of cultural stereotypes are like all Asians are good at math, all Mexicans crossed illegally, the Irish are drunks and love potatoes. A great example of a racial stereotype that most people have probably heard is that all black people are great athletes. Some examples of group stereotypes are all blondes are dumb, goths are all depressed and hated by society, and all of the elderly behave like children (YourDictionary). These stereotypes are not necessarily true. There is truth to them to some extent, maybe not to all of them. Now the consequences of each depend.

Stereotypes have their consequences just like anything else. What could be some of these consequences? According to Saul McLeod, stereotypes “One advantage of a stereotype is that it enables us to respond rapidly to situations because we may have had a similar experience before. One disadvantage is that it makes us ignore differences between individuals; therefore we think things about people that might not be true (i.e. make generalizations)” (Mcleod). So the advantage is that we can react to situations, but the disadvantage is that we don’t see differences in individuals. He goes on later to say that this can all lead to the “them” and “us” mentality. This is not a good mentality to be in, as this creates social divides. We must fight stereotyping.

Stereotyping is not something we can ever stop doing whether we like to or not, but reducing stereotyping is possible. The key points to remember is that while there is truth to every stereotype, but everyone is different, so while stereotypes may be true to most, it may not be to all. Keep that in mind as you go throughout your day.

Works Cited

Mcleod, Saul. “Stereotypes.” Stereotypes | Simply Psychology, 1 Jan. 1970, www.simplypsychology.org/katz-braly.html.

“Stereotype.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stereotype.

“Why Do We Create Stereotypes?” NPR, NPR, 14 Nov. 2014, www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=362373052.

YourDictionary. “Stereotype Examples.” YourDictionary, 15 Nov. 2014, examples.yourdictionary.com/stereotype-examples.html.