A stereotype otherwise known as a cliché is particularly a view or a representation of a particular group. It could still be a largely upheld but fixed idea or image of a certain kind of thing or a person. The most rampant types of stereotypes are racial, national, and sexual orientation. Generally, stereotypes are all over the places of work, entertainment, and residence. For instance, upon taking a closer look at the media, it is agreeable that television writers establish their personality or character easily and quickly. In the field of crime dramas regarding criminals and police officers, people have many stereotypes (Heatherton, Kleck, and Hebl, 253).
For instance, police officers employ any means necessary legal or illegitimate, in order to detain a criminal. On the other end, criminals do not have regard for life even if it is theirs or that of others and hail from areas with poor social backgrounds. This paper will seek to provide the effects of stereotypes.
Of late, it has come understandable that stereotyping an individual brings about very adverse and consequently long lasting effects on the life of that individual. Furthermore, documented evidence reveals that, in students, stereotypes result to severe effects such as poor performance especially in those subjects where they experience negative labels or characterization (Gunter, Oates, and Blades, 58).
Female students perform poorly in mathematics mainly because they view this subject as corresponding to male students. A research carried out by the psychology students from the University of Toronto established that those who undergo negative prejudices tend to have lingering adverse effects to an extend that even when they are no longer in a situation where they experienced these negative stereotypes, the impacts of coping with such situation remains (Sadker and Silber, 53).
Given the fact that stereotyping an individual or a group end up producing negative effects, it becomes very easy for one to make wrong judgments. With reference to social psychologists, stereotypes lead to adverse psychological impacts. Based on the aspect of an individual’s inner self, stereotypes affect people with a huge margin, which may in turn result to life long effects. Ideally, stereotyping leads to loss of a person’s self-esteem particularly described as emotional damage (Sadker and Silber, 66). In this case, it is very important to note that, a stereotype that causes emotional damage could extend its effects to death depending on the person who does the stereotyping.
This is with regard to a new research that found out that loss of self-esteem due to police and judge stereotyping a person for an offence he or she did not commit could trouble the accused to death. Similarly, effects on the person who does the stereotyping can be as severe as well. The person could be wrong and, for instance, employ the wrong person thus causing loss of value for the position allocated. Additionally, stereotyping can make someone lose everything the other has to offer and in the process lock the mind for any new possibilities (Heatherton, Kleck, and Hebl, 260).
In conclusion, stereotypes and their threats are indeed pervasive, and they can pose significant challenges. In cases where people evaluation is done according to their gender or race, stereotypes play an immense role on the outcome of their performance. The fact that stereotyping paints women as defenseless and possible victims of crime affects female officers psychologically (Gunter, Oates, and Blades, 76).
As such, they may end up quitting their positions, and those not already in the force may never regard law enforcement as a potential job opportunity. Still on the point of women, they are portrayed as less competent in the field of physics hence end up performing poorly due to just stereotypes. In order to put an end to these stereotypes, people must tune their actions, thoughts, and senses away from negative labeling as their effects are of no essence.
Works Cited
Gunter, Barrie, Oates, Caroline, and Blades, Mark. Advertising to Children on TV: Content, Impact, and Regulation. New York: Routledge, 2004. Print.
Heatherton, Todd, Kleck, Robert, and Hebl, Michelle. The Social Psychology of Stigma. New York: Guilford Press, 2003. Print.
Sadker, David and Silber, Ellen. Gender in the Classroom: Foundations, Skills, Methods, and Strategies across the Curriculum. New York: Routledge, 2006. Print