Issue 18: Can Stereotypes Lead to Accurate Perceptions of Others? Imagine that y

Question

Issue 18: Can Stereotypes Lead to Accurate Perceptions of Others? Imagine that you are a principal of a high school with a diverse population of students. Outline a plan for remedying the problem of stereotyping at the school. Would you concentrate on content or application? Explain. Why do Jussim, McCauley, and Lee leave the term inaccurate out of any definition of stereotypes? Do you agree or disagree with their rationalization? Explain. Formulate arguments for and against stereotypes being a positive force in society.

Explanation / Answer

Stereotype in any form is harmful because it carries a negative connotation about someone or something. Human beings are different and different cultures have different practices. So, looking from outside it might seem to be wrong because we have already constructed a mind-set that something is not right or everything is right. In my point of view, stereotyping is accurately wrong because I would always tell my friends to experience someone or something before making any judgmental decisions negatively.

An open mind is the only thing that could help people overcome stereotyping. So, as a principal I would choose the application point of view and suggest everyone to experience people and events. If stereotyping is right, then the white community with their greed and arrogance brought huge damage on the indigenous cultures across the globe and now they say they are wrong. What’s the use, the damage is already done without hope for any repair.

Jussim, McCauley and Lee suggest that stereotyping is both accurate and inaccurate and justify that one cannot brand stereotyping as not accurate. They say that when something goes against their beliefs, they brand that as inaccurate and when it matches one's beliefs that they hold, they say stereotyping is accurate. So, striking a balance will help one handle stereotyping better.

Positively, stereotyping may give one a fair idea about the society or event they are looking at and this would give the person a fair idea about that group and help one behave accordingly. Negatively, an individual’s behaviour cannot or may not represent a whole community, so stereotyping could be wrong.

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