Updated July 24, 2021 133 Author: Dmitry Petrov
Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. Our vocabulary contains a lot of borrowed words, the meaning of which is not always clear from the context. We have already discussed such terms earlier (for example, pragmatism, correlation, deviation).
Today we have a very interesting topic - stereotypes and stereotypical thinking. If you think that this certainly does not concern you, then most likely you are mistaken, because we acquire stereotyped thinking in childhood and without it it would be difficult for us to perceive reality.
So what are stereotypes? Is this good and bad? Why do they form in us and how can we get rid of them so that they do not interfere with our lives? All this will be discussed in this article. It will be interesting, I promise!
Stereotype - what does it mean in simple words
A stereotype is an established image of a person, phenomenon or event. This concept was introduced by the American journalist Walter Lippman in the twenties of the last century.
He borrowed the word itself from printers . People in this profession use the word stereotype to refer to a printed form that allows text to be reproduced several times.
Walter Lippman identified several properties of stereotypes:
- they make life easier;
- they are often incorrect;
- they are not produced by the person himself, but are acquired from the outside;
- extremely stable.
The word “stereotype” itself is translated from Greek as “hard imprint” . This is a kind of thinking stamp that helps to form certain images of events, and can also prevent you from looking at the world more broadly.
The dangers of stereotypical thinking
Stereotyping is considered "laziness of the brain . Why think for yourself if others have already thought for you for a long time. Why waste your energy on an objective analysis of people's behavior if society has decided that one is good and the other is bad.
In the 21st century, when not only technology but also people’s thinking is developing, stereotypes create more and more problems with the perception of the world and narrow their horizons.
The more stereotypes a person has, the less educated he is and the more susceptible to manipulation by others. Such people are called “wingmen.”
Nowadays, everyone should have their own opinion on any situation, everyone should be able to think independently and objectively assess what is happening. The correct expression of one's thoughts and their argumentation is an integral part of a developing personality. But we need , you will learn about this in the next paragraph.
Stereotyping in psychology
Stereotyping refers to classification, evaluation and perception, the basis for which is the common judgments of a social group. Such assessments are based on stable stereotypes and information about similar characteristics. Example: “All Spaniards are crazy about tango.” It is one of the main characteristics of interpersonal and intergroup perception, as well as a reflection of the affective and schematized coloration generally characteristic of this form of perception.
In psychology, this term refers to the process of attributing similar characteristics to members of a certain group, without sufficient understanding of the differences between them. Based on simple general psychological mechanisms, stereotyping has become a complex socio-psychological phenomenon responsible for many functions: justifying potential negative attitudes towards other groups, maintaining personal identification, and others.
Why are stereotypes needed and how are they used?
Stereotypical thinking is common to everyone. It was not given to us easily. Stereotypes help save mental effort and time to help us make quick decisions in repetitive situations.
For example, historically the division into enemies and friends was necessary. Stereotypes helped to automatically perceive strangers as a source of threat. Often in our time such a function is necessary.
Think about what you do after you wake up. Surely you have a certain set of actions that you perform on autopilot. At this time, the brain adapts to the daily work schedule - this is much more important than thinking about every step.
Or, for example, when you enter a room, you see a table and a chair. You don't have to think about why they are needed, you already know how to use these things.
Did you know that Albert Einstein had 5 identical sets of clothes in his wardrobe for every day. The great physicist put together such a set so as not to waste time in the morning choosing a suit.
The saved time and effort can be redirected to more important tasks. Nowadays, Mark Zuckerberg resorts to such tricks.
Stereotypes help free up mental resources for thinking about other thoughts; they perform a primitive sorting of information. Stereotypes also help to understand how to dress and act depending on the situation and place.
How to get rid of stereotypes
We cannot control the process of stereotyping, but we can consciously reduce their influence on our behavior and perceptions of people. It is impossible to completely get rid of stereotypes.
Based on the fact that a stereotype is a stable and categorical, simplified idea, a judgment about something, widespread in the environment of the person who adheres to it, it can be argued that the influence of stereotypes will be corrected by:
- change of environment;
- expanding knowledge about the object of the stereotype.
With the first, everything is clear: leave the country, make new friends, and so on. What about the second point?
Stereotypes are cliches, labels. How to get rid of them? Be critical and selective of incoming information. At a minimum, do not accept any fact until you personally encounter it. It is important not to succumb to the manipulations and provocations of the media, pressure from society (even from parents and older comrades). Learn to double-check information. It's a matter of practice. We heard some fact, doubted it, found several sources, if the information does not disagree, then we can believe it.
Find source
Who creates stereotypes? Leaders of society, idols of society, cultural heritage (historical experience). Accordingly, in order to weaken the influence of a stereotype, you need to become more familiar with its sources. Where do your stereotypes come from?
Our whole life is saturated with stereotypes, because these are the norms of etiquette, the rules of leisure, the norms of behavior in society, and the requirements for work. Decide which stereotypes you want to weaken in yourself.
What do they say about you?
Find a list of stereotypes about Russians. The most banal thing is drinking strong drinks in a hat with earflaps, with a bear next to you and a balalaika in your hands. Do you do this every day? Have you ever done this? I doubt. So, do you now have doubts about the adequacy of the stereotypes stored in your brain?
By the way, in order to doubt some stereotypes, it is enough to apply them to people you know and are close to or to yourself. This is especially true for gender stereotypes.
Cooperation
Knowledge about the object of a stereotype can be expanded through joint activities, achieving a common goal, receiving emotions, openness and sociability. Isolation and uncertainty, poorly developed self-knowledge and an unstable inner world have a negative impact on the weakening of stereotypes. On the contrary, they reinforce them. To give yourself a chance to break the stereotype, you need to allow yourself to be immersed in what it is saying.
Creative thinking
In fact, everywhere, from kindergarten onwards, we are taught to assimilate patterns. We are terribly lazy in matters of analyzing and searching for information, we are used to believing everything unquestioningly, taking data that has already been processed by someone, working according to schemes, living according to instructions.
Fortunately, the value of creative thinking is now recognized, and training programs are being restructured towards problem-based learning, the purpose of which is to reveal the creative potential and individuality of the individual. It’s more difficult for people of the “old school”: they will have to develop their creative abilities themselves, learn to think outside the box.
Stereotypes and superstitions
Stereotypes are very similar to prejudices and superstitions. Accordingly, you can get rid of stereotypes in the same ways. It is important to understand that if you do not control them, they will begin to control you.
When you feel the influence of a stereotype, especially if it drives you into self-digging, sadness, a feeling of failure, fear, anxiety, ask yourself “Why do I think this? What else can you do in this situation? What do I have? Make it a rule to always understand the reasons.
It is not necessary to live by stereotypes (especially those of others) if they create unsatisfactory living conditions for you. Interestingly, it is the stereotypes about oneself (“I should”) that cause greater damage to the individual. Think about yourself, love yourself, live your life, learn to be happy.
What are the stereotypes: examples
Below are some examples of modern stereotypes. If the list seems incomplete to you, you can supplement it by writing your own examples in the comments. Let's start with gender stereotypes.
A woman's place is in the kitchen
Unfortunately, even now, in a developed and equal society, you can often hear similar phrases from men. Some believe that a woman is a stupid and helpless creature, whose purpose is to cook borscht, wash, clean and remain silent in the company of men.
This is a historically Eastern model of thinking, but Slavic men often adhere to it, just not so clearly and categorically.
A girl in business is not taken seriously. If a man comes to a business meeting, then he is a priori taken more seriously than a representative of the fair sex. Everyone forgets that in any business, ambition, responsibility and a sense of duty are important , not gender differences.
A man must!
From childhood, mothers try to raise real (in their understanding) men, they strive to beat any sign of weakness out of the boy, because “a man must be strong!”
This is correct in nature, but sometimes when there are too many such stereotypes, it can lead to low self-esteem due to non-conformity to the imagined norms. And then it will lead to many problems in building relationships with the opposite sex.
How often can you hear a phrase on the street from the mother of a little boy: “Stop crying, men don’t cry!” From childhood, boys are taught to keep all their emotions to themselves, which can lead to serious problems in the future (you can read more about this in the article on psychosomatics). Tears are a natural process, so everyone cries, regardless of gender and age.
Men, like women, have tear glands and ducts that help cleanse the eyes with moisture. Under the influence of certain factors, tears are released. The difference is that boys are raised a little tougher than girls. From childhood they try to put it into their heads that they must hide their feelings and emotions, that they have no right to weakness, and so on and so forth.
Why do men die earlier from ulcers, strokes, and heart attacks? Because women are allowed to cry and have the opportunity to release negative emotions, but in this case it is more difficult for a man because of social clichés.
Negative emotions do not disappear from the body. They accumulate like a snowball, and one day they will make themselves felt. Therefore, it is imperative to look for ways to release negativity. Sublimation helps fight negative emotions and internal tension.
Men shouldn't feel pain
Exhausting mental or physical pain should be tolerated easily by men. Any injury is nonsense, a blow below the belt from your best friend - throw it out of your head and forget, parting with your girlfriend, divorce - an opportunity to become free and have fun for your own pleasure.
In reality: sensitivity to experiences and physical pain is purely individual.
All people have their own pain threshold, which completely depends on the genetic factor. The level of stress resistance and physical development also matters.
The male body is designed in such a way that it somewhat easier due to the high testosterone content. But this does not mean that a woman cannot be in better physical shape than the opposite sex. And it is at least unreasonable to evaluate everyone from the same position.
As for the state of the soul, there are especially no clear criteria . Everyone deals with the problem differently.
A man must be the breadwinner in the family
This kind of statement is very common. For some reason, it is believed that it is the representatives of the strong half of humanity, since the time of the mammoth hunt, who must fully provide for their entire family, coming home sometimes. The rest of the time the man works hard at work, earning a living. At this time, the woman takes care of the kitchen, comfort, sits at home, bearing and giving birth to children.
What if the couple decided to do the exact opposite? The woman builds a successful career, while the man takes care of the house and children. By definition, he is already a gigolo. But is it?
Reality: Masculinity is not determined by salary level.
Firstly, as we all understand and this has been proven in practice, looking after the house and children is not so easy, and sometimes much more difficult than working. Based on this, we conclude that all decisions in a couple must be made jointly and satisfy both parties, regardless of the distribution of roles .
If a wife’s comfort zone is work, her own business, climbing the career ladder, and a man wants to take care of the house and knows how to do it masterfully, and for them this is the only acceptable solution, then why not. In this case, the result and the internal atmosphere are important, not stereotyping and generally accepted opinion.
5. Good children obey their parents
Another stereotype from parent-child relationships that can lead to disastrous consequences for the child’s psyche. When parents often tell a child that he is bad because he does not obey, the child’s psyche perceives these words as: “I love you only when you are good.”
More on the topic: 5 mistakes parents make when choosing a profession for a child
For a child’s adequate self-esteem, it is very important to feel the security and unconditional love of his parents. Regardless of behavior. If children are playing around, they should not be deprived of love and there is no point in saying that children were different before, that young people have blossomed and there will be no one to bring a glass of water in their old age.
Right wrong
It is considered right to receive a prestigious education at a well-known university. The most prestigious professions are lawyers or economists. The wrong professions are artists, actors, singers.
We are taught from childhood not to listen to ourselves, not to follow our dreams, but to live “correctly.” But everyone forgets that this “correct” is different for everyone.
The main thing in life is to do what brings happiness . If a person likes his work, then he will definitely achieve success in his field. Unfortunately, many people go to work just to earn money, without thinking about their emotional state. That is why so often, even among the richest people, crises, depression and a feeling of constant dissatisfaction with life occur.
If you haven’t yet decided what you want from life, then be sure to read about how to find a job you like.
7. Prejudice in professions
Depending on personal experience of communicating with one or another representative of the profession, people develop certain stereotypes. For example: “police officers are brave, brave, strong” or “doctors can do anything”, or “you’re a psychologist, read my thoughts.”
These are all stereotypes about professions that have nothing to do with real work. It all depends on a particular person and the situation in which he finds himself, and not on general ideas about professional activity.
You can learn about 5 more gender stereotypes in the video below.
Types and forms of stereotypes
Stereotypes characterize both individual personal characteristics and external characteristics of people. For example, the stereotype about the emotionality of women and the rationality of men (individual-personal characteristics) is still alive. There is also a popular stereotype that tattoos are applied only by disadvantaged or socially dangerous people, or by frivolous people (external stereotypes). Or the stereotype that black clothing is a sign of depression and internal discord.
There is no single classification of stereotypes:
- One distinguishes the following types (V.N. Panferov): anthropological, social, emotionally expressive.
- Domestic psychologist Arthur Aleksandrovich Rean identified anthropological, ethno-national, social-status, social-role, expressive-aesthetic, verbal-behavioral stereotypes.
- O. G. Komarova identified 3 types of stereotypes: ethnic, professional, gender role.
Thus, the phenomenon of stereotypes can be viewed from several perspectives:
- content;
- adequacy (often it is based on a true fact);
- origin of stereotypes (conditions and factors of occurrence);
- the role of stereotypes in human life, the perception of other people and the functioning of society.
Adequate, that is, true stereotypes are useful and necessary, since our perception also needs to rest. But the influence of inadequate stereotypes should be limited. An adequate stereotype becomes inadequate when true data becomes outdated due to a change in the object of the stereotype.
The most popular stereotypes about Russia: examples
Usually, when people are going abroad, they keep in their heads a list of so-called stereotypes about a particular nationality. Over the years, Russia has accumulated quite a few stereotypes that foreigners continue to attribute to it. Some of them are partly true, others are completely untrue, and this can be said about any state and its people.
It is very important to understand that not all people are cut into the same mold. Therefore, the time has come to dispel some age-old myths about the Russian people.
Most popular name
Ivan is the most popular male name in Russia . It's not even Russian. Rather, it is an East Slavic version of the Hebrew name. From 2010 to 2021, the name Ivan occupied sixth position in the list of the most common male names. The top three were occupied by the names Alexander, Sergey and Dmitry.
By the way, even Russians often call the name Natasha the most popular female name. Nevertheless, Natasha takes third place, Elena is in first, and Olga is in second.
Appeal
Russians call each other “comrades” . This word was invented by the Bolsheviks to replace the pre-revolutionary ways of addressing people - “Mr.” and “Madam.” You can address a person “in a comradely way,” but this has long gone out of common parlance.
And if you suddenly hear such an appeal, then, most likely, it was said with a slight touch of irony.
How Russians dress
All Russians wear a hat with earflaps. And also a military waist belt with a buckle. And felt boots with bast shoes. And, of course, a traditional Russian shirt! Russians do not have traditional clothing. Russia consists of many nationalities and cultures, which implies completely different clothes from each other.
Ushanka is still good for winter, but it was more popular during Soviet times. At that time, the clothing industry was state-owned - therefore, hats with earflaps were produced according to the government’s plan. Today, most people prefer regular knitted hats, because wearing earflaps can be terribly hot at -15°C.
Military belts were also widespread during the Soviet period, when it was difficult to find a more decent waist belt.
Felt boots are good for a snowy village or a walk in the forest, but they get very dirty in the slush of a winter city.
Foreign languages
Russians understand other Slavic languages - Polish, Czech, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, etc. - and speak them.
To the Western ear, almost all Slavic languages may sound the same because they come from the same language group. However, there are both similarities and significant differences - especially in vocabulary and grammar.
Many Russians can understand some Ukrainian or Belarusian words, but learning Serbian, Polish or Czech will be a little more of a challenge for a Russian.
Bears as part of society
Bears walk the streets of Russian cities . While it is not unusual for a bear or elk to wander into a remote Russian village, bears are not in the habit of walking on city streets. This is too dangerous for both the animal and people.
Alcohol addiction
In Russia, everyone drinks vodka hopelessly . As of 2021, Russia ranked sixth in the world in alcohol consumption (first place behind Lithuania). Moreover, men drank 15 liters per year, and women – 7.8 liters.
Vodka, of course, is what people drink most in Russia, but this does not mean that everyone drinks it. Most likely, individuals are fighting for the honor of the country by setting daily records.
Let's find out what will happen if stereotypes about Russia become real.
Features of stereotypical perception
Thinking through stereotypes has the following features:
- The effect of projection, the essence of which is that when communicating, we endow people who are unpleasant to us with our shortcomings, and our advantages - with people who are pleasant.
- The average error effect involves averaging the salient features of another person.
- An order effect, in which when communicating with an unfamiliar person we give more trust to primary information, and when communicating with an old acquaintance - to fresh data.
- The halo effect, or judging a person based on one of his actions (good or bad).
- The effect of stereotyping, or endowing a person with characteristic (stereotypical) traits for a certain group, for example, focusing on the person’s profession.
How to fight stereotypes?
As you know, stereotypes are created in order to relieve the brain of excess stress. But they also limit your horizons . To think more broadly, you need to destroy stereotypes and expand the boundaries of consciousness.
You cannot blindly believe what people once came up with. You need to make an effort, think independently and not be afraid to have your own opinion. If we are constantly confronted with information that contradicts them, they are destroyed.
How to distinguish a stereotypical belief from a conscious one? It’s enough to ask yourself the question: “How do I know this?” If you yourself have gained experience and are convinced of the correctness of the statement, then this is not a stereotype.
Many stereotypes can be destroyed in just a couple of minutes. For example: “All blondes are stupid.” Scientists have proven that hair color does not affect mental abilities. You can list several blondes you know who do not fit their description.
Or remember the celebrities who do not fit this stereotype: Angela Merkel, JK Rowling, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Gilbert. The stereotype is broken. There are many clichés to contend with in everyday life. Subsequently, the brain will learn to think more broadly and most prejudices will go away on their own.
By the way, don’t forget to read the fascinating article about how women’s logic works.
Stereotypes that interfere with life, how to deal with them
In some cases, we can say that stereotypes help to live, but more often they interfere with a full life, limiting mental activity, not letting consciousness go beyond the confines of a stereotyped worldview. An example is the stereotype: “It’s good where we are not.” Guided by it, a person is convinced that it is impossible to exist comfortably in his habitat, which leaves an imprint on his condition. In his perception: all other countries are prospering, and the people living there are much happier.
Such ridiculous thoughts can quickly drive you into depression. Guided by a stereotype, a person does not make attempts to find happiness and harmony, being convinced that this will not bear fruit. And yet you cannot blindly follow template phrases you accidentally hear. The aforementioned stereotype about the ghostly wonderful life “Where We Are Not” makes one think that someone has to make a minimum of effort to live a quality life. A feeling of envy, irritation, and dissatisfaction with one’s “failed” life arises.
The main method of combating stereotypes: doubt them, analyze them. Do not blindly believe stereotyped judgments, question them, check the data, and form your own opinion. Gradually, you will discard established stereotypes and carry out a kind of prevention of the emergence of new prejudices.
Think about what stereotypes you use regularly. Look among them for those that have no real evidence to support them. Example: “All blondes are stupid.” Once you start studying the information, you will see that among women with blond hair there are many doctors of science, talented doctors, honorary teachers and many other personalities who are in no way characterized by the definition of “stupid”.
Look for a refutation of other statements that have no basis. An example of a stereotype: “What is the price, so is the product.” You might be surprised, but you can find a lot of high-quality and stylish things at low prices. At the same time, expensive purchases can disappoint after the first purchase, raising suspicions that they are defective or counterfeit.
A person can be guided for a long period by an absurd stereotype that darkens his life and not even notice it. Think about whether there are such people in your perception? If you can’t lose faith in them, try meditation. It will teach you to think separately from society, your immediate environment, and draw your own conclusions. Try to study known stereotypes and form your own opinion about them.
Think about the actions you perform automatically. Take some time to analyze them. Try to pay attention to your actions and analyze which of them are dictated by stereotypes. Learn not to depend on public opinion and develop your own ideas.
Afterword
Thus, stereotypes can be broken from two positions:
- other people's beliefs through personal example and actions, the search for inner harmony;
- their beliefs through the activity of cognition of the external world.
Accept yourself. For example, at a young age there can also be poor health. If you accept this in yourself and others, then you are already minus one stereotype. On your day off, you don’t have to run away from home to a cafe or club; you can enjoy the comfort of home. So the second stereotype is broken. There must be children in a marriage, but you have not yet achieved your plans for self-realization, you are not ready to take care of children, although your marriage is strong and tested over the years? This means there is no need to have children yet. Know yourself and create appropriate conditions around you.
Make a list of the most popular stereotypes for you and go ahead to destruction. Check them personally. Self-knowledge and knowledge are the basis for getting rid of stereotypes. In both cases, you will find yourself and be able to control stereotypical behavior and thinking, and not vice versa.
