What is a stereotype as a phenomenon of the social system? Representatives of various sciences study the stereotype in the framework of their tasks. Philosophers, sociologists, culturologists, ethnographers are interested in ethnic aspects of stereotypes. Psychologists consider the influence of gender stereotypes. The single concept of "stereotype" covers all spheres of human life.
Stereotype - what is it?
At the end of the seventeenth century, the French publisher F. Dido invented a device that saves time, labor and price in book publishing. Before the invention, the text for the book each time, recruited, which led to huge resource costs. Dido's new creative decision consisted in making casts from the typed text, then - metal plates-stamps were cast, allowing to print books in large numbers. F. Dido called his invention - a stereotype: "στερεός" - a solid "τύπος" - an image.
What does the stereotype mean as a concept in the modern world? In Walter Lippmann, an American publicist in 1922 introduced the term "stereotype" into the social environment and described its meanings as: the inability of an individual to cognize the whole picture of the real world without simplifying it. A person carries out his activity, relying not on obvious direct knowledge, but on ready-made templates-cliches introduced by others: relatives, acquaintances, system, state.
Types of stereotypes
The child is born and with mother's milk absorbs lullabies, tales, legends and legends belonging to his ethnos. Growing up, the kid learns the norms and prescriptions characteristic of his family and the family as a whole. Educational institutions contribute. So gradually stereotyped thinking is formed. Man literally "overgrown" with stereotypes. Common types of stereotypes, identified by different specialists:
- social stereotypes;
- stereotypes of thinking
- stereotypes of behavior;
- ethnocultural stereotypes;
- response stereotypes;
- stereotypes of communication, etc.
The functions of stereotypes can be conditionally divided into "positive" and "negative". The main positive aspect of the stereotype is the saving of human thought activity. Man, in his short life can not know everything about everything, but on the basis of the experience of others may have an idea about many things, even if they are not relevant to his reality. The negative aspect boils down to the fact that personal experience (even one-time) confirming the fidelity of this or that stereotype is fixed in the subconscious and prevents people, phenomena from perceiving in a different way.
Gender stereotypes
A person performs different social roles, including gender roles. The gender role determines the norms of behavior of the recommended, proceeding from the belonging to the male or female sex and the characteristics of the culture of the country. What is a gender stereotype ? The role of a man or woman in society is determined by many traditions and ways of life that have been established for centuries. Until now, stereotypes have not become obsolete, the echo of which can be traced in proverbs and sayings of different peoples:
- the woman is the keeper of the hearth;
- man - the getter;
- women are fools;
- a woman without children, like a tree without branches;
- single woman - bird wingless;
- a man without his wife, that a barn without a roof;
- the man promises, the man fulfills;
- A peasant is not a kitten, but he likes to fight.
Ethnic stereotypes
Effective interethnic communication nowadays plays an important role in achieving peace and cooperation between peoples. National stereotypes are centuries old cultural ideas of the people as a nation about themselves (autostereotypes) and other peoples (heterostereotypes). Study of ethnoses of stereotypes - helps to learn the features, habits, culture for useful interaction between different countries.
Social stereotypes
What is a social stereotype? Stable and simplified matrices of images of social objects (man, group, profession, gender, ethnos). Stereotypes of thinking at the same time may turn out to be false and form erroneous knowledge. As a rule, the basis of the stereotype lies in observations based on real facts and personal experience, but sometimes the stereotype performs a destructive role when applied in a situation falling out of a common pattern and labeling on a person. Examples of social stereotypes:
- without "blat" you can not build a successful career;
- the child must be obedient;
- to be successful it is necessary to graduate from a prestigious university;
- all men only need one from women ...;
- all accountants are boring, and lawyers are crooks;
- money is evil;
- Japanese cars are of the highest quality;
- Jews are the most cunning;
- man - a womanizer, drunk.
Cultural stereotypes
Cultural stereotypes of society affect the human emotions, which are associated with bodily nature and are supported by gesticulation. Emotions and gestures are a universal language among similar in the cultural customs of nations, but in some countries can acquire quite the opposite meaning. Before going on a trip to other countries, it is useful to study the customs of these states. Unites in itself Culture: stereotypes of goal-setting, communication, perception, picture of the world. Stereotype behavior is an important stage in the formation of rituals (religious) of different cultures.
Popular stereotypes
What is a stereotype - this question is basically answered "correctly", "stereotyped". The society is used to thinking with concepts popular, the reason for this lies in the inadequacy or lack of information and the inability to confirm this information. The stereotype of thinking (mental attitude) - "I-like everything" denotes belonging to my family, group, people, the state has the opposite side: it drives into the limits of limitations, impoverishes personal experience of human experiences. Accepted in the society of popular stereotypes:
- audacity second happiness;
- the reference figure is 90/60/90;
- it's good there - where we are not;
- beats - then loves;
- breakfast you eat yourself, lunch is stripped with a friend, give the dinner to the enemy;
- a woman on a ship - to be in trouble;
- you need to get married before 30;
- girls should wear pink, boys - blue;
- women - weak sex;
- expensive - it means qualitatively;
Stereotypes about Russians
Stereotypes about Russia can be traced in various stories and anecdotes invented both by the Russians themselves and by other peoples. Stereotype Rusich appear in anecdotes as "shirt-boys, extremely hardy, loving to drink and induce" Interest in Russia is great. This power remains mysterious and majestic, and for some, a hostile country. What about the country, Russian women and men think representatives of other states:
- Russians are the most drinkers;
- bears are walking along the streets;
- Russian girls are the most beautiful;
- men, walk with a stony face, do not smile;
- Russia is a country of balalaika, matryoshka and kosovorotok;
- the most hospitable;
- ill-bred and illiterate;
- girls dream of marrying foreigners ;
Stereotypes about the French
The whole world watches with trepidation the French catwalks, buys French perfume, touches the most romantic films of the planet. "To see Paris and die!" - the phrase said by the Soviet writer-photographer I.Erenburg - has long become winged and is said with a gasp and a dreamy look. The stereotypes of France, firmly associated with this beautiful country:
- French women are the most refined, elegant;
- Paris - dictates fashion to everyone else;
- The French are the best lovers in the world;
- croissants, wine, foie gras, frogs, baguettes and oysters - daily national food;
- beret, vest, red shawl - standard clothes
- the most smoking nation in the world;
- strikes and demonstrations "about" and "without cause";
- the most avid pessimists;
- freedom of manners and frivolous behavior;
- Irritated if foreigners mispronounce the words in French;
- patriots of their homeland affectionately and call the country "la dus France" ("France dear").
Stereotypes about Americans
America is a country of contrasts and unlimited opportunities, where the most cherished dreams are fulfilled - Americans think so of their state. The United States is a country that is largely incomprehensible to the Russian mentality, causing some to dislike, and in the light of the current tensions between Russia and America, a lack of confidence in the most smiling American nation. Myths and stereotypes about Americans:
- a nation of fast food and fat people;
- love to organize surprises;
- want to capture the whole world;
- lack of style and taste in clothes;
- the most patriotic nation;
- every American has a weapon;
- do not hesitate to show emotion.
Stereotypes about the English
What associations arise in people who have never been to England, but have heard about this country? Those who taught English at school recall the famous watch movement Big Ben (Big Ben) and that England is a country of rains, mists and oatmeal for breakfast. On the stiffness of the English legends. English detectives about Sherlock Holmes like to read around the world. Stereotypes about the British:
- constantly talking about the weather;
- on a schedule, they drink tea;
- the English are the most polite;
- arrogant snobs;
- conservatives;
- strange English humor;
- everyone goes to the pub;
- the most law-abiding citizens.
How to get rid of stereotypes?
What is a stereotype for people who are engaged in self-improvement and self-development? Such people become more and more. Stereotypes and prejudices make it difficult to see behind the "worn out" cliches and cliches of real concrete people, and to understand these or other human actions in the context of reality. Past experience does not always work in a new situation. The rejection of stereotyped thinking presupposes the work on oneself:
- change the usual view of the world;
- refusal of hasty judgments;
- openness of the perception of the whole phenomenon;
- the exposure of templates to criticism: "is this really so?";
- formation of new opinions, own.