Roadblocks to Communication- Stereotypes and Prejudices
Stereotyping is a natural function of the human mind, aimed to simplify the complex
reality and make our body and mind develop automatic responses to similar stimuli.
Stereo means “set image”. When applied to people, stereotyping refers to forming an
instant or fixed picture of a group of people, usually based on limited or incomplete
information. Stereotypes frequently result from or lead to prejudices, negative opinions
about others. Stereotypes and prejudices are sources of communication failures, and
more than that, of bad actions and ugly emotions.
Prejudices based on oversimplification of people into narrow, negative stereotypes can have tragic
consequences such as discrimination and violence.
Often, people are stereotyped around characteristics of:
- Age: all teenagers love rock and roll and do not respect elders
- Sex: men want just one thing from a woman
- Race: all Chinese people look alike
- Religion: all those belonging to Islam are terrorists
- Vocation: all lawyers are greedy
- Nationality: all Somalians are poverty-stricken
- Places: all people living in a certain city are lazy
- Things: all Swiss watches are perfect
Stereotypes have four main characteristics:
- They are simpler than the reality
- They are acquired from “cultural mediators” rather than own experience
- They are erroneous by their very nature
- They are resistant to change when absorbed in childhood, stubbornly colouring
our perceptions and behavior.
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