WP3: Dismantling Stereotypes
Growing up, my life was dictated by stereotypes. As a band student, I was expected to be nerdy and awkward, but as an athlete, I was expected to be a rude jock. When I would walk out of band rehearsal in my field hockey uniform, I would be met with the occasional, “You play field hockey? I thought you were in the marching band.” These stereotypes negatively impacted my peers’ judgments of me, so I constantly felt like I had to hide a part of myself. Looking back on my high school experience, I wish that I had done more to break down stereotypes. If I took this initiative, I would have been able to embrace my full identity without social repercussions.
Stereotypes, which are oversimplified generalizations about a group of people, have been present in society for decades. These contradictory notions serve to separate the oppressed into competing groups, making them even more vulnerable to oppression. The path to liberation lies in dismantling these stereotypes because it allows the oppressed to recognize that they are not all that different from each other. Dismantling stereotypes consists of implementing methods that effectively weaken the specific ways in which they are perpetuated. Therefore, in addition to learning what can be done to dismantle stereotypes, it is important to understand how stereotypes work as a tool of oppression and how society perpetuates them.
Stereotypes are used to oppress society because they encourage people to think that everyone is defined by rigid categories. This causes us to believe that people are one dimensional beings that can be incompatible with each other. This perceived contradiction results in a divide among people, and within oneself in the form of an identity crisis. This happens because in an attempt to cope with their overall state of oppression, the oppressed try to oppress others and make their own identities adhere to societal standards. The natural consequences are that societal standards are placed on a pedestal and nobody questions them. This breeds a toxic culture where only those who match the standards are accepted, and those who dare move outside of the standards are punished.
This conflicting nature of stereotypes is utilized as a tool of oppression because the oppressed become too focused on the differences between themselves that they are not able to recognize their state of oppression. In my own experience, the conflicting stereotypes of being an athlete and a flutist made me doubt myself since they led me to believe that both activities were incompatible. In facing this internal turmoil, I never even questioned why I was letting untrue stereotypes dictate my life and feelings. This blind belief is what keeps society distracted from realizing similarities between people. Ultimately, this discourages them from uniting against the oppression caused by societal standards.
If we are to ultimately break the hold that stereotypes have over society, we must understand how they are sustained in the first place. Given how quickly modern media can convey information to a group of people, it is largely responsible for introducing and perpetuating stereotypes. Additionally, the education system reinforces what children see in the media, which encourages them to use stereotypes throughout their life.
Since society is constantly being bombarded with information from the media, they begin to see the stereotypes used in the media as the truth. Consequently, they internalize stereotypical notions and view them as standards that need to be upheld. An article published in Economic & Political Weekly discussed how advertisements perpetuate the stereotype that women are objects and should derive their worth from their physical appearance. The result was that a woman could “end up physically trying to change… because the advertisers show her that she needs to be skinny.” They even found that advertisements had a larger impact on gender images than books and research (Rajagopal and Gales 3334). This elucidates how the expansive scope of media allows it to easily spread the biased thinking that entrenches stereotypes in our society.
Although the media introduces stereotypes to society, they end up shaping people’s opinions so strongly because they are solidified in adolescence. These perceptions then continue to be used and developed throughout one’s lifetime. In another study regarding gender stereotypes, children from the ages of five to seven years old were shown pictures of men and women. They were then asked to say which person seemed smarter. At the ages of 6 and 7, girls were much less likely to associate the pictures of women with being smart (Bian et al. 355). This suggests that the stereotype that men are more intelligent is acquired at only 6 years old. Because stereotypes are introduced to people so early in their lives, they have time to become fully established in one’s mindset. The longer these ideas remain unquestioned, the more deeply ingrained in society they become, and the more reluctant people become to change them.
Since stereotypes are introduced and developed relatively early in life, we must weaken their influence by encouraging the youth to focus on their authentic experiences with others. This would entail using the media to actively disprove stereotypes and reduce children’s exposure to them. It then requires the education system to prioritize children’s interactions with diverse groups to prevent any stereotypes from developing.
Instead of using the media to perpetuate stereotypes, it should be used to give a voice to underrepresented groups. In film and TV, people of color need to stop being played and voiced by white actors. Advertisements and clothing lines should feature a diverse group of models. Social media apps should stop encouraging users to exploit stereotypes for comedic relief. Media platforms care first and foremost about their audience, so whether it is in the form of views, likes, or shares, it is the responsibility of the public to withdraw support from those that spread harmful stereotypes and to advocate for those that work to dispel stereotypes.
When educational environments encourage interaction between diverse groups of people, minority groups have the opportunity to dispel stereotypes and feel more accepted by their peers. In a study conducted at historically white institutions, the impact of cross-group friendships on race-based rejection sensitivity (the expectation that one will be socially rejected based on race) was examined with two cohorts of African American students. It was found that those with more friends in the majority group (white students) were more satisfied with the university and experienced less race-based rejection sensitivity (Mendoza-Denton and Page-Gould 935). This demonstrates how diverse groups in education allow for stereotyped minorities to feel more welcomed. This sense of belonging creates a safe environment that encourages minorities to speak up against the status quo.
Situational cues, which are signals in one’s environment that cause certain behaviors, can be used to affect the degree to which stereotypes develop in people. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that women showed less interest than men in computer science when placed in a room with objects stereotypically associated with the subject. However, in a non-stereotypically arranged room, there was no significant difference in the interest between men and women (Cheryan et. al 1048). This study identified that the way classrooms are set up can subconsciously influence what students decide to pursue. Therefore, the perpetuation of stereotypes can be mitigated through the mindful and deliberate set-up of educational environments. If the objects and layout of a room are equally welcoming to all kinds of students, they are more likely to pursue what they are truly interested in, regardless of societal expectations.
Another reason why stereotypes continue to be so widely perpetuated is because many believe that they are harmless. Many people use stereotypes without ever considering why they exist; they are simply oppressors of ignorance. As an Indian American, I have experienced this ignorance in others. One of the stereotypes that follow Indians is that they are very academically intelligent. Many of my friends let this assumption guide their perception of me, but they did not recognize that it was harmful because being intelligent is considered a positive trait. However, because of this stereotype, people would only become my friends so they could get my homework answers. Others saw this apparent “smartness” as a buzzkill, so they were hesitant to invite me to parties. This demonstrates how although some people may purposefully use stereotypes to guide their behavior, there are many who simply do not understand the consequences of stereotypes.
The unintended consequences of stereotypes can have severe impacts on people’s physical and mental health. The healthcare stereotype threat describes how people are often stereotyped as having unhealthy lifestyles due to their age, race, gender, weight, and other characteristics. A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that over 17% of respondents felt threatened by prejudice in healthcare. Additionally, those who felt negatively impacted by the stereotype were more likely to have worse health (higher hypertension and more depressive symptoms), as many would choose to simply avoid any kind of healthcare (Abdou et. al 195). In this case, unconscious biases and stereotypes were so strong that people refused to address their own physical wellbeing. This illustrates how destructive stereotypes can be towards the people they target.
Stereotypes can also negatively impact one’s mental health as they can make people feel unwelcome, incompetent, or even fearful. When people face this discomfort, they are less likely to speak up on the issue. This prevents the ignorant from being educated, and they stay ignorant. They then continue to perpetuate stereotypes without realizing their impact. This exemplifies how seemingly harmless stereotypes have substantial, negative effects on all of society, not just the victims of stereotypes.
Because of their perceived harmlessness, people continue to depend on stereotypes even when there is no evidence to support them. This self-reinforcing nature of stereotypes was expressed in a study where participants were shown the social media profiles of various men. They were then asked to decide if the men were straight or gay. One group of profiles was “seeded with stereotypical gay interests [and] another with stereotypical straight interests” (Barncard psych.wisc.edu). The participants’ answers were consistent with the stereotypes around ⅔ of the time. Some of the participants then received feedback that was contrary to the stereotypes. When these participants were given a new set of profiles, they continued to stereotype at the same rate. Despite the feedback that consistently went against the stereotypes, participants continued to rely on them. This indicates that disproving stereotypes is still not enough to break the hold they have over society.
Since stereotypes are often invoked unconsciously, minimizing their power requires people to first recognize that they have biases. Additionally, because of this unconscious aspect, those who want to deconstruct their biases will still find themselves naturally yielding to those perceptions. To overcome this, they must fully commit to the process of unlearning stereotypes.
To effectively dismantle stereotypes and reduce their prevalence in society, we must deal with the oppressors of ignorance: the ones who do not necessarily want to stereotype others, but unconsciously do so. This can be addressed by implementing unconscious bias (UB) training in aspects of society such as school, corporate environments, sports, and law enforcement. In an article published in the Harvard Business Review, Francesca Gino and Katherine Coffman discuss how traditional UB training, which simply increases awareness of internal biases, is not enough to prevent people from using them. In fact, it can make people rely on them more because they garner the impression that everyone has bias and that it is simply unavoidable. Instead, UB training should help people understand how to reasonably manage their biases.
To teach people how to manage their biases, UB training should address accountability. Participants should be encouraged to admit their biases and adopt the mindset that there is room for improvement. Training should then focus on building empathy and understanding between different groups of people. This can be achieved by creating diverse groups and facilitating communication between everyone. It is also important to create a psychologically safe environment where everyone is free to ask questions, explore the depths of their biases, and learn about the experiences of others. Lastly, participants should keep track of interactions where bias may be present (such as hiring procedures) to measure the effectiveness of the UB training and their own personal growth (Gino and Coffman hbr.org).
A level of discomfort is required to break the subconscious habits that have been reaffirmed by society for decades. This discomfort is essential to adopting a mindset that will not be easily penetrated by stereotypes. Therefore, it is important that the process of UB training asks people to acknowledge their faults, regardless of how uncomfortable it may make them feel.
Lastly, to focus efforts on dismantling stereotypes, it is important to understand that the imposition of stereotypes is not always between two groups of different people. In an attempt to fit in, the targets of stereotypes will comply with them and eventually perpetuate them. As someone who was a part of two different groups, I had the opportunity to educate others about how the stereotypes associated with athletes and band students are untrue. However, I ignored this opportunity and continued to let my teammates and band peers use the stereotypes to guide their judgment.
The targets of stereotypes end up succumbing to these generalizations because it gives them a sense of security. For example, I refused to dispel the stereotypes about athletes and band kids because I desperately wanted to feel accepted and was too afraid to challenge the status quo. Because I was constantly “switching” my identities based on the people that I was with, I began to believe that it was impossible to be successful at both field hockey and the flute. I almost capitulated to the stereotype and quit field hockey. This would have only confirmed the idea that band kids are athletically inept, which reveals how people can reinforce the very stereotypes that target them.
Despite the fact that the targets of stereotypes can perpetuate generalizations about themselves, they also contribute to the most influential way to dismantle stereotypes. Those who pursue activities that are deemed incompatible by society have firsthand experience of how untrue stereotypes can be. This puts them in the best position to break down society’s expectations. However, this comes at the cost of risking one’s acceptance in society. For me and many others, this cost was too great for us to take action against stereotypes. Therefore, the dismantling of stereotypes requires multiple people to speak out at the same time. The targets must feel security in numbers to overcome the security they feel in conforming to stereotypes.
Once the oppressed are willing to risk the familiarity that comes with stereotypes, they can lead the journey to where they can be their full, intersectional selves without judgment from society. Had I been able to educate others about my interests, I would have felt more confident in myself and potentially have helped others discover their own passions.
The path to deconstructing stereotypes is certainly not straightforward. This path requires us to give the voice of the media to the ones who are marginalized. It requires us to restructure the education system and prevent stereotypes from ever becoming established. It requires us to give people the opportunity to acknowledge their biases and actively work through them. Lastly, it requires multiple people to break the status quo and use their experience to rewire the very structure of society. If humans implement and commit to these strategies, they will create a world where people can explore their complete identities and reach their full potential.
Works Cited
Abdou, Cleopatra M., et al. “Healthcare Stereotype Threat in Older Adults in the Health and Retirement Study.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Elsevier, 20 Oct. 2015, www.ajpmonline.org/article/s0749-3797(15)00425-0/fulltext.
Barncard, Chris. “Stereotypes Can Be Self-Reinforcing, Stubborn Even Without Any Supporting Evidence.” Department of Psychology, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, 2 Aug. 2022, psych.wisc.edu/news/stereotypes-can-be-self-reinforcing-stubborn-even-without-any-supporting-evidence/.
Bian, Lin, et al. “Gender Stereotypes About Intellectual Ability Emerge Early and Influence Children’s Interests.” Science, 27 Jan. 2017, www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aah6524.
Cheryan, Sapna, et al. “Ambient Belonging: How Stereotypical Cues Impact Gender Participation in Computer Science.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2009, depts.washington.edu/sibl/publications/.
Gino, Francesca, and Katherine Coffman. “Unconscious Bias Training That Works.” Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Publishing, 30 Aug. 2021, hbr.org/2021/09/unconscious-bias-training-that-works.
Mendoza-Denton, Rodolfo, and Elizabeth Page-Gould. “Can Cross-Group Friendships Influence Minority Students’ Well-Being at Historically White Universities?” Sage Journals, Psychological Science, 20 Mar. 2008, journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467–9280.2008.02179.x.
Rajagopal, Indhu, and Jennifer Gales. “It’s the Image That Is Imperfect.” JSTOR, Economic & Political Weekly, 2002, www.jstor.org/stable/4412464.
