THE ROLE OF

STEREOTYPES IN
PERSON PERCEPTION
By: Oumie, Zeena, Jackie, Sammie, Shomsheda and
Claire.
Contents
1) What is a Stereotype and Person Perception?
2) How are Stereotypes Developed?
3) Types of Stereotypes
4) Would any of them be valid?
5) Role of Stereotypes in enhancing/reducing the accuracy of person
perception
6) Effects of Stereotyping in decision making, assessment and
Appraisals.
7) Ways to decrease Stereotypes in a workplace
8) Class Activity





What is a Stereotype?
It is Bias or shortcut in judgement about another person
based on preconceptions derived from a person
appearance or membership of a group. (Woods & West,
2010)
Stereotypes are a heuristic, or tool, to help humans
process and overwhelming amount of information as we
try to learn the world around us.
Negative and Positive
Stereotyping
POSITIVE

Good qualities that are assigned
to groups of people based on
various
characteristics

E.g. Mexicans are hard workers,
Asians are good at math

NEGATIVE

An individual or group which
displays them in a poor light


E.g. Refusing to hire or promote
pregnant women, unwed
mothers, or women with pre-
school aged children.

Types of Stereotypes
Even a
single
graphic,
such as a
chart, can be
presented
more
dramatically
in
widescreen.
Gender
Age
Cultural background
Appearance
Marital Status
Sexual Orientation
Religion/belief
Disability



How Are Stereotypes Developed?

Examples of Employer
Stereotyping
In 1999, the company was sued
by 4 current and former African-
American workers for paying less
compare to the Caucasian
American workers
As a result of racial stereotyping in
which African American are
perceived as lazy, distrustful and
incompetent
Coca Cola paid the fines and
needed to re-build their reputation
on the importance of having
diversity and reduce stereotypes
at the workplace
Role of Stereotypes in the accuracy of person perception
Inaccurate stereotype = reduce accuracy of person perception
Any influence of a stereotype on person perception is something bad
and biased that leads people astray
Effects of Stereotyping on Decision
Making

Effects of Stereotyping on
Assessment

Effects of Stereotyping on
Appraisals

Ways to Decrease Stereotyping in the
Workplace