Counterstereotype Essay Example for Free

Counterstereotype Essay Stereotypes are so prevalent in our everyday lives that people don’t even realize that they are making racist comments. They are so use to making these comments in their own inner circles, that they don’t even realize how detrimental they can be outside of their circle. Stereotypes affect people’s social lives, emotions, and how people interact with their environment. Stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination are known to be related but having different concepts. Stereotypes are regarded as the most cognitive component, prejudice as the affective and discrimination as the behavioural component of prejudicial reactions. That slight pause in the processing of a stereotype gives conscious, unprejudiced beliefs a chance to take over. With time, the tendency to prevent automatic stereotyping may itself become automatic. Past studies have shown that people perform poorly in situations where they feel they are being stereotyped. Are there lingering effects of prejudice? Does being stereotyped have an impact beyond the moment when stereotyping happens? Stereotypes have an enormous impact of how we feel. It affects people’s social lives, emotions, and how people interact with their environment. Regarding the quote, â€Å"If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? From The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare, even after a person leaves a situation where they faced negative stereotypes, the effects of coping with that situation remain. People are more likely to be aggressive after theyve faced prejudice in a given situation. They are more likely to exhibit a lack of self-control. They have trouble making good, rational decisions and are more likely to over-indulge on unhealthy foods. These days’ people are afraid to be themselves, because they fear other people. They don’t want people to think something bad for them. Secrets, thoughts, and ideas, are all held down. Stereotypes can be an obstacle as to how open you are with people and how you make people feel when you are with them. Instead of focusing on all the mistakes of each person, we should start paying more attention of how unique each person is. Stereotype causes people to feel lonely and even sometimes depressed. It’s also harmful for their environment and their social life. We should keep stereotypes out of the picture, even though sometimes we can be victims ourselves. The study of culture may someday tell us where the seeds of prejudice originated; for now, the study of the unconscious shows us just how deeply theyre planted.