TESSA PERKINS

Stereotypes

STEREOTYPES

Stereotypes are assumptions we make based on groups of people.

We as an audience also make these assumptions based on what the

media have told us. Even when we haven’t experienced that group of

people in real life.

Many of us would stereotype these people in a specific way:

“Nerd” “Punk” “Hipster” “Chav”

TESSA PERKINS

Perkins believed that there is not a simple process to stereotyping as they contain assumptions that can be challenged.

❦ Stereotypes are not always negative.

❦ They are not always about minority groups or the less powerful.

❦ They can be held about your own group.

❦ They are not rigid or unchanging.

❦ They are not always false.

Tessa Perkins also believed that stereotypes help towards an understanding of the world and that we actually need stereotypes in society.

NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES

We instantly assume that a certain group of people are negative such

as young people. The older generation will automatically believe a

young person is up to no good. This is because of the small majority

of young people that put that fear into older people.

CLASS STEREOTYPES

Many people believe it is the less powerful or lower class that

stereotypes are targeted at. However Perkins believes this is not true.

She stated that people make assumptions about the upper class just as

much as the lower class. For example the powerful are sometimes

described as “Upper class twits.”

ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT OWN

GROUP

People will make assumptions about their own ‘group’ because as a

person they have their own ideologies. For example in a college

setting, everyone is part of the same group because they all got to the

same college. However people will stereotype smaller groups within

the college.

CHANGING STEREOTYPES

If a stereotype has been given it is relatively hard to change but it is

not impossible. In order for a stereotype to change it has to happen

over a long period of time. It will not happen over night.

TRUTH BEHIND A

STEREOTYPE

There has to be some truth behind a stereotype otherwise where else

would the representation come from.

We will witness or read stories which shape the stereotype of a

particular group.

IMPLICATIONS OF

STEREOTYPES

Perkins believed there are implications of stereotypes:

❦ Stereotypes are erroneous (Usually wrong)

❦ They are negative concepts

❦ They are about groups we usually have no social contact with. Which means we cant really stereotype them properly.

❦ Most of the time they are about minority or prepressed groups which creates a negative view of the working class.

❦ Some people may ‘hold’ a stereotype which could lead to negative behaviour or wrong assumptions of people.

❦ Negative stereotypes could also lead to unfair treatment of member of society.