Group Stereotypes Essay

A number of problems tend to develop from the adjustment of stereotypes in society. Stereotypes cause various problems that impede the proper functioning of groups. One of these problems include group divisions. Demographic characteristics such as age, ethnicity and gender are easily observable and team members use them to attribute specific patterns of thought, attitudes and behaviors to themselves and others. It is suggest that most people are attracted to, and prefer to be with, others who are demographically similar to themselves. Group divisions tend to cause harmful divisions within organizations because of the lack of coordination and support. An additional problem caused by stereotypes is missed opportunities. A perceiver of a situation assumes that the target possesses the same characteristics of other members of the target’s category stereotype and incorporates those attributes into his or her impression of the target. By attributing …show more content…
Two common stereotype issues that individuals may yield to are stereotype threat and social identity theory. Stereotype threat has is a fear individuals experience when they are at risk of confirming a negative stereotype that is held about their group (Khan, Benda, & Sangro, 2012). There are a number of factors that cause stereotypes to affect individuals in a group. The person must view themselves, or be viewed by others as a high performer. The individual feels as though others in the team have high expectations for their performance. The individual must have a strong identity with the stereotyped group. This person must also be in a situation where others might question their abilities. (Khan, Benda, & Sangro, 2012). The last factor is that those individuals who are most easily affected are those who expect discrimination or who believe that a stereotype is legitimate (Khan, Benda, & Sangro, 2012). Stereotype threat can affect individuals, but it is difficult to