Stereotype vs. Prejudice
What is Difference between Stereotype and Prejudice? Biases and stereotypes are biases that often contribute to or are responsible for maintaining social inequality and many cases of discrimination. Both cases usually bring with them negative elements and have some things in common; however, it is not the same.
Difference between Stereotype and Prejudice
If you are curious or in need of a little more information about these two topics, then continue reading, because here we will explain it to you the difference between stereotype and prejudice.
Prejudice
Prejudices are preconceived ideas about someone or something before they have adequate and accurate knowledge to judge. Prejudice conceptions can be based on gender, ethnicity, skin color, tattoos and other marks; and many other elements. Generally, prejudice consists in showing negative feelings towards those who do not belong to the same group to which one belongs. Often the best way to combat prejudice is to familiarize ourselves with the object to which it is directed, since the knowledge of it allows us to develop a clearer and more objective view of reality.
Stereotype
On the other hand, stereotypes are very simplified images or ideas that we make of certain things (people or objects). It has a lot to do with the classifications that are made of people attending to their belonging to certain groups.
Stereotypes are also based on preconceived ideas and are formed when members of certain groups often show patterns of similar behavior or thinking. They can be negative, positive or neutral. For example, typical stereotypes are that of the silly blonde and that of the French in black and white striped berets and t-shirts.
Unlike prejudices, stereotypes are not based on one’s own ideas or experiences, but on beliefs that have existed in society before. Finally, today it is spoken that the formation of stereotypes could have been an adaptive advantage of our ancestors; however, it is also known that sometimes they can be quite harmful.
