Racial stereotype refers to the mental picture that people form about members of a given racial group. It is always human nature to categorize people based on their characteristics. As a result, some people can argue that racial stereotype is inevitable and it does not have harmful effects on individuals. However, the racial stereotype can be avoided, and it has harmful effects on the targeted individuals or racial groups. Therefore, it is important to conducts a comprehensive literature review understand racial stereotypes and their effects on human beings, especially the targeted group.
Dovidio, Evans, and Tyler (1986) conducted a study to investigate the nature of racial stereotypes in the contemporary world, including their roles in the social cognition. To achieve the research objectives, the researchers used a priming experiment that included two main racial primes, black and white. Both positive and negative primes were used as tests stimuli. The participants were 36 undergraduate students who were required to indicate if they believed that the test word traits or characteristics are true or false. The researchers used the experiment to understand how people always process information based on the racial groups, specifically on black and white people. It was the research that was intended how social cognition is affected by racial stereotypes.
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According to Dovidio, Evans, and Tyler (1986), people are quicker to respond to white stereotyping traits as well as positive characteristics when they use white prime compared to when they use or follow black prime. On the contrary, based on the findings of the study, the three researchers conclude that people are quick to respond to black stereotypes traits, as well as negative traits when they are required to follow black prime. Dovidio, Evans, and Tyler (1986) found that there is a strong stereotypical association with black race compared to the white race. Therefore, black people are likely to encounter negative stereotypes compared to their white counterparts.
Some of the main stereotypes that are associated with white people include smart, ambitious, and clean. The three positive traits have not changed for a long time, even in the contemporary world. On the contrary, the traditional stereotypical traits that were associated with black people included lazy, stupid and welfare (Dovidio, Evans & Tyler, 1986). However, according to a study that was done by Gaertner and McLaughlin the three native stereotypical traits are no longer popular among many people. Dovidio, Evans, and Tyler (1986) also found that the stereotypical traits such as lazy and stupid that have been used against black people for low are gradually fading away. However, the three researchers found that about 16% of respondents still use traits such as lazy and stupid top to describe black people compared to 7% that were found by Gaertner and McLaughlin in their study. Dovidio, Evans, and Tyler (1986) explained that Gaertner and McLaughlin might have got a lower percentage because they did not have sufficient cognitive representation when doing the research, especially during the reaction time. Thus, the researchers argue that contrary to Gaertner and McLaughlin argument that the negative characteristics were very unfavorable, their findings reveal that they are mildly unfavorable. Also, both the positive and negative traits are linked to mental representation. Dovidio, Evans, and Tyler (1986) concluded that positive traits are strongly linked to white people while negative traits are associated more with black people.
Levy (2000) assessed racial schematicity of 70 of young children that included 38 whites and 32 African America. To assess the racial schematicity of the young children, the researcher used schematic processing model. According to the model, a stereotype is a normal cognitive activity that is based on adaptive categorization, particularly of social information. However, the proponents of the model also recognize that fact that there is a difference in how people use social dimensions that always results in racial stereotypes. Levy (2000) argues that schematic processing model can successfully be used to examine.
Levy (2000) found that participants' racial schematic could significantly be used to predict their accurate and inaccurate memories for racial stereotypes. Interestingly, the study found that the race of children who participated in the research could be used to predict their race-based peer preferences accurately. White children showed some level of racial biases towards their black counterparts. The study also revealed that black children are more sensitive to racial stereotypes than white children. Consequently, black children have a better memory for the racially stereotyped contents compared to their white counterparts. Levy (2000) concluded that the race schema differs based on the racial group of children. There is no significant difference between children and adult racial stereotyping, including processing race-related contents or information.
UA News article that was published in 2003 explores some of the negative consequences of stereotypes. Toni Schmader and Jeff Stone from the UA psychology department conducted a study to examine a phenomenon called stereotype threat. Stereotype threat takes place when a group facing negative stereotypes strives to succeed in a given task that is linked to stereotyping (UA News Services, 2003). Toni Schmader and Jeff Stone argue that by knowing that a person is negatively stereotyped can lead to poor performance in the task that they could otherwise succeed. A study that done at Stanford University confirmed this assertion when it found that black students show poor performance in standardized achievement test when they are told that the test is aimed at measuring intelligence (UA News Services, 2003). On the contrary, they perform as well as their white counterparts when they are not informed of the intention of the standardized achievement test. Specifically, it is possible for racial stereotypes to reduce the working memory capacity, especially among children. Therefore, the stereotype can negatively affect the performance of students.
To reduce the negative consequences of stereotype, particularly stereotype threat, people should be made aware of the existence of the problem and how it affects individuals (UA News Services, 2003). Stereotype threat awareness program should not only target victims of negative stereotypes but also unaffected racial groups. For instance, people should be reminded that they have the same ability and that their racial differences have no insignificant influence in their life. The UA News article concludes that stereotyping can be solved.
Thus, based on the analysis by UA News, racial stereotypes can have adverse effects on the victims. It is interesting that stereotype can affect the mental ability of the victims, resulting in poor performance in school and even in sports activities. Fortunately, the problem can be addressed or solved through stenotype awareness programs. People can change their attitudes and behaviors when they are aware of racial stereotypes and their adverse effects.
References
Dovidio, J. F., Evans, N., & Tyler, R. B. (1986). Racial stereotypes: The contents of their cognitive representations. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , 22 (1), 22-37.
Levy, G. D. (2000). Individual differences in race schematicity as predictors of African American and White children's race-relevant memories and peer preferences. The Journal of Genetic Psychology , 161 (4), 400-419.
UA News Services. (2003, November 20). Exploring the Negative Consequences of Stereotyping. UA News . Retrieved from https://uanews.arizona.edu/story/exploring-negative-consequences-stereotyping
