My Stereotype Behavior - Essay Example

? Since the beginning of the world, people living in different groups had various views or opinions about the other groups; these opinions were mainly assumed or prejudged. The distinguishing qualities which God created in human beings to gift each individual with a unique quality, has become a reason to suffer from, due to stereotypes in the society. Racial discrimination, biases and stereotypes are not a current dilemma for society; it has been present within our societies for ages. Though these stereotypes are less visible on the surface but they are still present and leave damaging impressions on people who come into contact with them. Stereotypes are not only the source of long term suffering for others but they are also the victims themselves. Their past experiences enable them to acquire this typical behavior of discrimination and presumptions about other genders, races and individuals. Stereotyping reduces the concentration span of the victim and he feels anxiety with distorting feelings. This is also referred to as cognitive threat, which reduces the intelligence level of person due to biased attitude of others ( Leary, 2005,p.283). I have been a subject of stereotype behavior several times. These incidences are very common but they leave an everlasting mark in one’s life. In high school, I had friends with different nationalities. One of them was an Asian whom I was quite close and liked to spend more time with. Once he invited me for a group study at his house which I accepted without bothering to think twice, how his family would respond to a person with different racial identity. I went there and met my friend’s mother at the door; she smiled and welcomed me in. We studied for a while and lost track of time, it was time for dinner and he was uneasy and wanted to windup. I stood and wanted to leave but his mother asked me to join them for dinner. I did as I was asked; just wanted to be polite; as not to decline their hospitality. As soon as I joined them I felt I made everybody uneasy including my friend, his father said grace and didn’t talk at all. I ate quietly and didn’t know how to flee away. They all talked in their native language and I was unaware of their conversation. I felt really awkward when finally his younger brother told me that they don’t like people from other races, as they are usually illicit and have no place in a respected family. I excused myself and quickly departed from there, as I could no longer maintain my composure and felt entirely bitter about how they made me feel vulnerable and worthless. The feeling still lingers on, when I am invited to a dinner at someone’s house as I cannot seem to forget the incident which made me feel insignificant and flawed. People judge without even knowing individuals, keeping in regard their ethnicity. These types of presumptions not only make others negative about the different communities but it extends the trend of stereotyping to a great extent. Skin color, gender, religious beliefs, ethnicity, skills and distinct qualities are reasons which incline people towards stereotyping. However in my scenario, the presumption made it easier for them to judge me without even knowing me at all. It only shows the limited understanding of human psychology one has or is developed in him. This also shows the well knitted believes in a specific community about others. The stereotype believes become common and people learn it to understand quickly for better acquaintance of the people all around. However, it is never helpful. This only makes the differences clear and people; pessimistic. During my graduation I worked in different restaurants and bars. I met people who belonged to different ethnicity on daily basis. Once I was a spectator of a brawl in my restaurant among a Hispanic and my co-worker. It was the rush evening hours; I and another guy waited the tables. The Hispanic customer got angry as he was waiting from quite a time; for his turn but my coworker attended others. They both started shouting and calling each other’s by names. The small dispute became huge and they got into fight. I instantly went to help my coworker though I knew he was wrong and shouldn’t have hauled racism into the argument at all. My colleague kept grumbling about the illegal immigration of Hispanic people in Europe. I wanted to put a stop to his stereotype attitude but was compelled by the intensity of the situation and stayed quiet. I evaluated the situation and concluded that I participated actively, if not directly but by indirectly volunteering on my colleagues side. One way or the other, due to upbringing, social backgrounds, uniqueness and customs, most of us are inclined to accept social biases and stereotypes as normal. But studies have shown that it leaves obnoxious results on the personalities of individuals who become the victim of the stereotypes. Though I’m not a religious person but once I went to church and encountered the religious stereotype which left me with the distorting feeling of being labeled. As soon s I entered the Church premises I was welcomed by all the bleak stares. I ignored them and moved to the front phew to sit. As soon as I sat I was called by a lady and she asked me to sit in the back row as this row was fixed for the regulars. I didn’t mind and sat at the back. I soon realized I was being the center of attention by all. A guy came and asked me to move back as I was a new comer and the place was reserved for the ones who have strong faith and are closer to God. I was perplexed, how can they decide, who is closer to him or not? Because I was young and attended the sermon for the first time, didn’t exactly mean I’m not close to God or he doesn’t like me to be close. I felt distraught at the presumptions about me and never went back there. This type of stereotyping not only provokes negative attitude on both sides but also stimulates the stereotyping in a society. People who are faced with stereotyping show less progress than they are actually capable of. ( Kemick, 2010). The negative impacts of stereotyping leave them confused about their own capabilities and they give up. These adverse impacts leave them unsatisfied and distressed for a very long time. People react in different ways to show disliking and stress. One way is to prove others about the stereotype beliefs contain reality, in this regard they don’t have much choice as the stereotypes ploy the situation and the perceiver acts accordingly (Lang, 2006, p.45). Biased opinions about others can reduce the coherent reasoning ability and it directly results in low level of progress. People are cynical about the facts which they don’t want to accept as true. (Ditto, Peter). More over these stereotypes heightens the tension, discourages communication and negatively prevails in the society. The effects of stereotyping remain intact with a person for a long time. It directly affects the routine, mood, behavior and eating habits of a person. These people are often seen with lack of self control and low level of decision making skills and the vile remarks leave them despondent for longer durations (Sherman,2000). Bibliography: Top of Form April Kemick, (August 12, 2010). Stereotyping has lasting negative impact: Prejudices have lingering effects. National Science Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2010/08/12/stereotyping-has-lasting-negative-impact Ditto, Peter. How Pre-existing Beliefs Distort Logical Reasoning: Cognitive Psychology. University of California, Irvine. Retrieved from http://searchcenter.intelecomonline.net/playClipDirect.aspx?id=E22DB555B562B463C0F5EE35DE315BCB5CA9621ED0132E1823264876125E799D1789474455514F32C8FEA4B7688954B4 Sherman, J., Macrae, C. N., & Bodenhausen, G. (January 01, 2000). Attention and Stereotyping: Cognitive Constraints on the Construction of Meaningful Social Impressions. European Review of Social Psychology, 11, 1, 145-175. Bottom of Form Wang, L. (2006). Discrimination by default: How racism becomes routine. New York: New York University Press. Leary, M. R., & Tangney, J. P. (2005). Handbook of self and identity. New York: Guilford. Read More