THE 8 TYPES OF STEREOTYPES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The main types of stereotypes are religious, political, racial, class, country, gender, sexual and physical. Stereotypes are subjective constructions that an individual or group of individuals makes about another individuals or group. They simplify reality and can be positive, negative or neutral. Stereotypes are constructions without scientific foundation.

In the society in which we live, all people make judgments about others, in a context in which sometimes it does not allow you to know in depth the person of whom we are making the judgment, and we form a preconceived opinion about them.

Stereotypes are generalizations of the qualities that an individual can have, to the entire group of people who share common characteristics with him. In some cases, qualities are assigned to a group about which nothing is known.

This last case happens very often with the ideas that the media provide us, which in the society in which we live are the main opinion makers.

The biggest problem with stereotypes is that they are very difficult to eliminate and almost always lead to some kind of discrimination. In these cases, the individuals affected by the application of the stereotype lose their individuality.

Psychology has for years been in charge of analyzing stereotypes and has found a function for our social context.

There is a human need to unite peers starting from the characterization of individuals, thus simplifying reality, which is usually very complex to define the limits of the group we are characterizing.

Main types of stereotypes

Religious stereotypes

In this case, stereotypes are formed about the values ​​and customs of minority religions.

Since the majority of society does not practice or share these values, everyone who professes this religion is criticized.

Unfortunately, the criticism leveled at these individuals often extends beyond what has to do with their cult.

It presents an irony, and it is that these stereotypes where they appear most are in more religious countries, where religion is something untouchable and unquestionable

Political stereotypes

With the media that we have today, the thoughts of politicians are massively disseminated.

In this way, anyone who belongs to his political group automatically derives his own thoughts to adopt those of the politician or political group he follows.

Nade was born with a preconceived ideology, so at some point he decided to follow the politician or political group in a rational way.

Racial stereotypes

The formation of this stereotype is based above all on skin color or belonging to a culture.

The assessment of this stereotype can be positive or negative, and it is produced by the fact that it is just different.

When all individuals in a society have similar rights and needs and the color of the skin or the culture to which we belong does not usually change them.

Class stereotypes

For the formation of this stereotype, they are based on economic power, which is the main cause of prejudices and social stereotypes.

The problem with these stereotypes is that they are usually based on the interaction of an individual with the rest of society. And they are situations in which prejudices should not appear.

Country stereotypes

This type of stereotype could be included within racial stereotypes, but these go a step further. In countries where there are a large number of immigrants, all the problems of that country are assigned to them.

As a general rule, they focus on the work capacity of immigrants and assign them personalities depending on the country from which they come.

Gender stereotypes

This gender stereotype is probably the most difficult to change in society and one of the most damaging. The problem with these stereotypes is that they are totally ingrained in almost everyone without them even realizing it.

Over the years, in the patriarchal society in which we live, women were being looked down upon and in some cultures even forgotten and annulled.

In history, many times they were forgotten with man assuming the important role in history. Fortunately, over time, they are regaining control through small conquests.

To this day, it does not seem strange to us that a woman works and is a great professional. Despite this, they still do not have the same consideration as men and many gender stereotypes make women in the same positions held by men, earn less than these.

Just claiming these small conquests over time constitutes the creation of a stereotype in itself. Therefore, the disappearance of gender stereotypes is very difficult to disappear until the differences between men and women are only considered for their biological character.

Sex stereotypes

Sexual stereotypes apply to minorities with a certain sexual orientation. These couples are assigned certain roles of character and behavior.

One thing that people who still believe in these stereotypes forget is that homosexuality, which is the main cause of the creation of these stereotypes, is a relationship that has existed since ancient times.

Over the years, many of the stereotypes that have been formed about sexual relations have taken a retrograde chalice, and society has become increasingly intolerant.

Physical stereotypes

Unfortunately, more and more people are differentiated by the shape of their bodies. Many of these stereotypes are applied above all to the weight of people, in which many times the existence of physical problems is not valued at their weight, but the predetermined stereotypes of society think that it is their own choice due to lack of care of Health.

References

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