Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Fundamentals of Social Cognition
Stereotypes. I know we have all done this to others, as well as experienced it for ourselves. I think it is interesting that stereotypes are a way to categorize and organize people into groups, whether that is ethnic, cultural, or social. The book calls stereotypes a "knowledge structure" because it helps people process information. It is normal in how we guide through communication and behavior, but as we know, some stereotypes we acknowledge may not be true to the actual person. I have been stereotyped in negative ways and I did not appreciate it because I felt judged or misunderstood, however I know I do it to others probably more than I think. I think we need to keep an open mind and not let stereotypes dictate how we communicate with others or what we initially think of them.
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4 comments:
Hey! So often people stereoype because it's easier than reaching out to others and trying to understand they are and where they come from. I know I am guilty of it and I know that I have been stereotyped myself. Although it doesn't bother me so much that people stereotype me, it does bother me when I stereotype others. I feel like I'm not giving myself or the other person the opportunity to truely meet and understand one another. It's ignorant and it's one of the things I'm trying to work on about myself. I'm sorry you've been negatively stereotyped in the past. I enjoyed reading your point of view.
This post goes right along with my last post on the fundamental attribution error. Instead of uplifting each other, we bring each other down by the judgments we make about one another. It is so easy for us to make judgments. For some, I hate to say that it's a natural reaction, but it's a quick reaction. Sometimes, we don't think before we act or say things. With the fundamental attribution error theory, we become aware that there other things that make up who we are. We can't be quick to judge anymore. We need to make more conscious efforts to watch what we say and even think.
I definitley agree with your statement and with the word you have chosen. I believe that no matter who you are and how your raised, people, and I mean ALL people are guilty of being stereotypical. It's a natural thing that everyone does whether it's dealing with race or ethnicity. I have been stereotyped about my ethnicity where someone would think I'm Puerto Rican or even Greek when I am neither of the two. I have also been guilty of stereotyping someone about the same thing. A boy in my class last semester had admitted of thinking that anyone who is African AMerican doesn't have a British accent. It's something he has never heard or is very common.
Hello! So I have to say that I am one is guilty of sterotyping other people. I find I do it most often when I am around people that make me feel uncomfertable. Expample being if I feel as though they have a better body then me or if they are "prettier" then I am. I do feel bad when I do it and I have tried to get better at it by keeping my comments to myself and not expressing my personal opinions, because at the end of the day that is what they are only my own personal opninions. I trully believe that if we as a society took as much time saying positive remarks to each other instead of negative, there would not be such a negative self esteem issuse in our country. I really enjoyed reading your blog, and I trully am sorry for all that you had to incounter with people making fun of you.
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