Sterotyping.

ster·e·o·type  (str--tp, stîr-)

n.

1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.

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

I am currently taking intro to Sociology and last class we just so happen to be learning about stereotyping. Our scientific definition of stereotyping is: unfairly applying a common label and set of characteristics to ALL with in a group. We were also given a list of different types/groups of people. For example, some of them were Asians, models and athletes. We were asked to fill in the blank after Asians are....and had to put the first thing that came to mind, as a way to give an example of stereotyping.

Below are 5 images that came up on google when i typed in the names of these groups of people:

• models
• blondes
• nerds
• bullies
• homeless

When you hear the word model, most people think beautiful, skinny, skinny, size 00, extremely tall and did i mention skinny? Pictures like the on above, of run way models, may even cause people to stereotype them as anorexic. However, realistically that is not the case at all. Models today are all shapes and sizes and that is how it should be. There are many different kinds of model,s plus size, child models and your everyday looking catalog models. Also, in today's world being "tooth pick skinny" isn't really in anymore. Many of the most beautiful women models in the world are known for their voluptuous curves and are proud of it.

Blondes are often stereotyped to be just plain dumb. Blonde's are often thought to be ditzy and airheaded. I think this stereotype is the most untrue of them all. The color of someones hair has nothing to do with their level of intellegence.  

When many people hear the word nerd pictures like the one above usually come to mind. Many people think anyone who wears big akward glasses, or any kind of glasses for the matter, are nerdy. Some may even piture a character like Steve Urcle wearing their pants up to their belly button along with a pen in their shirt pocket. However, today many glasses are used as sort of a fashion satement. In today's world glasses are even sold that have no perscription for people who simply like the way they look with them on.

 

Bullies are stereotyped to look bigger than their average age group. They are usually pictured as strong and even readheaded. Bullies are often known for picking on people younger and weaker than them. However, in todays world their are all kinds of bullies, every shape and size. With today's growing technology, cyber bullies have become a huge issue.

 

Homeless people are usualy dipicted as dirty, with torn clothing, hopeless, and often living under a bridge. However, there are many type of homeless people. In the sate of Georgia, a child is labled homeless if their family lives in the same house as their grandparents, because they don't have an acual home structure of their own. Being homeless only means that you do not have your own place to live.