What is a Stereotype, and What Should International Students Know About Them?

Stereotypes exist no matter where you go in the world. A stereotype is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as a “fixed, generalized image of a person or thing shared by many people.” In other words, they are preconceived notions one has about another person or thing. They are usually formed due to ignorance. Where do they come from? What do we do about them?

Many times stereotypes are formed during our childhood upbringing. Our parents, or caregivers, have an opinion about something and the children see and hear this. Hence, they are taught to think or feel a certain way. For instance, one’s parents are reading the paper about a major recall by Ford Motor Company. Suddenly they say “Oh, that Ford. They’ve never made nothing but crap.” The parent has never owned a Ford to have firsthand experience. That is a stereotype.

Many times stereotypes are formed from peers. People usually hang out with like-minded people. If one of the friends thinks a certain way, and has a way with words, he or she can easily convince another of their viewpoint. This happens especially when one is exposed to something they know little, or nothing, about. An example of this is someone saying, “All fat people are just lazy and stupid." They know of one person who is like that, and judge all obese as the same. That is a stereotype.

A person’s own life experiences can form a stereotype. If one is exposed to something that leaves a negative impression, a stereotype may form. For instance, perhaps you have firsthand experience with something you knew nothing about, like a mountain bike. You take the mountain bike on a trail and don’t make it uphill. The gears don’t shift and it’s too hard to pedal. Suddenly, that mountain bike is a piece of junk. In fact, all mountain bikes are junk. You’ll never buy another one. That’s a stereotype.