Stereotype is a set of belief of a particular person or a category of people, These beliefs can be detrimental and limiting intercultural understanding and communication. (Kareem, 2019)
In what ways do stereotypes affect the way that we communicate with each other?
When we stereotype, we draw a conclusion of a particular person or group based on a common assumption, these assumptions are usually over generalised and these can often lead to communication breakdown. For example in America, Asians are usually stereotyped to be really good in math, and when there’s math assignments the Asians are usually approached by others to solve their math problems, but if the Asian person is bad at math, the American who’s seeking help might get mad and assume that the Asian is unwilling to help.
Below is a video of Russel Peters doing stand up about stereotypes of different races enjoy !
What are the implications of such stereotyping occurring in your social life?
From my personal experience, i’ve gotten stereotyped by my relatives, below is a quick illustration of my conversation with my relative.
because i was doing Information Technology in Republic Polytechnic, my relatives assumed that i will be skilled programmer when in fact my major was in Networking.
Conclusion
In conclusion, stereotyping is an exaggerated assumption of a group of people that might have exhibited the certain stereotype and caused the idea to be associated with the group. Although our minds might be quick to condemn and pass a judgement, we should always try to think twice and always remember that stereotypes are not true for every individual of the group.
Reference
Nittle, N. K., 2019. Thought co. [Online]. Available at: https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-the-meaning-of-stereotype-2834956
KENG JOO'S BLOG 
Hi Keng Joo, great explanation and examples on what stereotype means. Personally, I have heard of something similar which happened to my friend whom is studying overseas. Since her math is not as good as what others perceived, when her American friends asked her for help with a math exam question and she could not solve it, they automatically assume that it is because she is competitive and do not want to help them. In actual fact, she really does not know how to do that question. I completely agree with you on the point that we should always try to think twice before stereotyping people based on their group, as every individual is different and what we perceive of the group will most likely differ to whom they actually are as an individual. Keep up the good work! Looking forward to your next post. ☺
LikeLike
Hello Keng Joo,
Your explanation on stereotype is short, sweet and easy to understand! Back in my secondary school, my class had a balance mixture of people who were good as well as bad in Mathematics. I agree that with stereotype, we might be quick to condemn and pass a judgement. With these stereotypes, it changes the way we perceive a particular group of people and how it affects the way we communicate with them. Personally, I was like the majority of people out there. I thought that people in the IT sector would be proficient in programming. However, entering a course about IT has broaden my horizon. Thank you for sharing your views on the stereotype. I look forward to your next post!
Cheers!
LikeLike
Hi Keng Joo
Thank you for your explanation about Stereotyping and how does it affect communication. It is very easy to understand, along with the video you’ve provided. My bunk mate from the army is currently pursuing an Engineering Degree in Australia even though his Math isn’t that strong. When he had his first tutorial lesson, many other students kept asking him if he was able to solve certain equations. Just because, like you mention, stereotyping Asians for being good at Math. Luckily for him, he is not shy to inform his course mates that he isn’t strong enough to solve. I think most of us can relate to your personal experience right now, since we are not pursuing a pure Computer Science bachelor’s degree. My relatives also ask this question whenever I say I’m studying Information Technology even though we do not solely study on programming. They will then move on to ask: “Why am I not studying Business? Can earn more money what”. Which they stereotype as IT personnel are not capable as Businessmen. However, I do believe that stereotyping can be also in a positive manner as well, such as looking up into a role model with great traits and values. Overall, it was a great read and I look forward to your next post!
Cheers
Clarence Wang
LikeLike
Hi Keng Joo, your explanation of stereotypes makes it really easy for me to understand. Providing that you put a lot of pictures and video is a great thing to help us understand about stereotypes. I agree that although stereotype simplifies the way we perceive others, but we still have to think twice before accepting any ideas that crossed our minds when we first see someone. Overall, great explanation as always. Keep up the good work!
LikeLike