Stereotypes

[mkgal1]

ETA a mental connection. This is my mother's mother I'm referring to. Earlier in the thread, I talked about my father correcting my brother's racist attitudes. I don't remember my father's parents ever exhibiting any racism, even though my grandmother on his side was also from Kentucky, not far from the Tennessee borderline. Defied stereotype here: "All small-town Southerners are racist." Not in her case.

Right.....it's not about the region, but about the individual people and their attitudes.

You've heard the saying that we are the average of the five people we spend our time with? I think that has a lot to do with our biases (and not noticing them---like in Chip Ingram's study I mentioned earlier here: http://www.christianforums.com/t7832645/ ).

 

[mkgal1]

I thought of another example that can seem like a stereotype, but is a generalization based on stats.

Insurance actuaries use accident statistics in order to weigh the risks of their insureds. Based on those stats.....they've learned that males under 25 are a high risk, and their premiums are higher. Not *all* males under 25 are fast-driving, risk-taking drivers....yet they are in the high risk group. That's not a stereotype. There is evidence to support it, and it's not just assumed each year. It would be a stereotype if each year the rates continued to be higher just based on the belief that males under 25 are a higher risk for accidents (w/o the stats to support it).

 

[Avniel]

I didn't want to look to quote the comment but I stereotype police officers. I automatically fear them because as a black man I believe they are a threat. I behave a certain way around them because I automatically believe I know their position based on their job. In my younger days I have ran from the police when I was doing nothing. I have seen crimes and not reported it/have been robbed at gunpoint I didn't report it because police can't be trusted.

One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type.

That's what I do with police officers. I was raised to think like this and it has helped me survive or so I believe.

"One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type."

 

[mkgal1]

"One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type."

I agree---that's a stereotype.

I think the key phrase is "set image or type".

That's why I don't believe those are stereotypes in that video, because basically what that message is is that one can't tell what a dangerous person looks like. LBF's grandmother seemed to think there was a set type (and may have been neglecting to see other possible people to be on the lookout for--or, better yet, just have "safe" rules for everyone).