University of Phoenix Material

Appendix B

Part I

Define the following terms:

|Term |Definition |
|Stereotypes |Beliefs about people based on their membership in a particular group. Stereotypes can be positive, |
| |negative, or neutral. Stereotypes based on gender, ethnicity, or occupation are common in many |
| |societies. |
|Prejudice |A negative belief or feeling about a particular group of individuals. Prejudices are often passed on|
| |from one generation to the next. |
|Labeling theory |The idea that behaviors are deviant only when society labels them as deviant. |

Part II

Select three of the identity categories below and name or describe at least 3 related stereotypes for each:

• Race • Ethnicity • Religion • Gender • Sexual orientation • Age • Disability

|Category |Stereotype 1 |Stereotype 2 |Stereotype 3 |
|Age |The elderly are mentally |The elderly can’t drive |The elderly are frail and weak. |
| |unstable. | | |
|Race |Asians are good at math |A group of black men is up to no|All Mexicans eat tacos |
| | |good | |
|Gender |Women need to be housewives |Men need to be the breadwinners |Women are nurturing |

Part III

Answer each question in 100 to 150 words related to those stereotypes:

What are the positive aspects of the stereotypes, if any? They allow people to quickly process new information about an event or person. They organize people’s past experiences. They help people to meaningfully assess differences between individuals and groups. They help people to make predictions about other people’s behavior. Most people do rely on stereotypes nearly every day to help them function in society. For example, say a woman has to work late and finds herself walking home alone on a dark city street. Walking toward her is a group of five young men talking loudly and roughhousing. The woman crosses the street and enters a convenience store until the young men pass, then continues on her way. Most people would say she acted prudently, even though she relied on a stereotype to guide her behavior.

What are the negative aspects of stereotypes? Stereotypes can lead to distortions of reality for several reasons: They cause people to exaggerate differences among groups. They lead people to focus selectively on information that agrees with the stereotype and ignore information that disagrees with it. They tend to make people see other groups as overly homogenous, even though people can easily see that the groups they belong to are heterogeneous.

Answer each question in 150 to 250 words related to those stereotypes:

• What is the difference between stereotyping and prejudice? Use examples to illustrate the