Lesson notes

Lesson notes.

Tessa Perkins Stereotype theory:

What is a stereotype?

- A stereotype is a form of demographic in which we place with specific social attitudes, style and geographic location in relation to others. 

What is the purpose of stereotypes?

- To make us aware of a type of individual at first glance, some say that is stems from our survival instincts upon meeting new individuals for the first time. Being able to identify a type of individual rapidly in theory increases your chances of survival, you wouldnt hug someone who looks like a serial killer would you? In my opinion it is based upon our Enlightenment era style of thinking, the compulsive need to scientifically categorize everything although the aforementioned theory does make a lot of sense.

- Stereotyping is not simply a process it contains a number of assumptions to be challenged.

- Tessa Perkins identifies five different assumptions:

. Stereotypes are not always negative.

. They are not always about minorities.

. Can be held about ones own social group/standing.

. They are not rigid or unchanging, the are always developing(look at the stereotypes surrounding teenagers).

. They are not always false, there must be some form of truth involved otherwise they would be shrugged off as unreliable assumptions of an individual.

For example the youth of today are negatively seen as trouble makers & hoodies however there are a majority of youths who are a great resource to society.

Stereotypes go up as a wall between the social classes i.e. the upper classes look down on the lower classes as rough and coarse and vice versa.

These stereotypes are also present within groups, stereo types within stereotypes. Within a group of college students there are other subgroups i.e. the nerds, jocks, tech geeks and movie buff's.

Most if not all stereotypes develop over time with new inputs or evidence on social attitudes towards a group or acts that the group conducts(see mods and rockers beach riots). This is also not always a negative as there can be stigmas that follow a group for many years that slowly become irrelevant and and finally discarded.