Stereotypes

We are all guilty of judging others based on a wide range of traits we perceive in them. In so doing, we end up attaching (wrongly) certain traits to such individuals. In this text, I concern myself with stereotyping, its meaning, and the effects it has on those who experience it.

Common Stereotypes

According to Schneider (2005), "stereotypes are qualities perceived to be associated with particular groups or categories of people." In that regard, stereotypes include all those assumptions as well as generalizations we make about all members of certain groups based on our perceived characteristics of the group under consideration. Personally, I have in the past encountered a variety of stereotypes. The most common of these include stereotypes on gangs and abortions. The other rather outrageous, yet common stereotype I do encounter is that all tell men play basketball.

When it comes to gangs, one commonly held stereotype...
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