stereotiepen

Streorotiepen is the Dutch term used to refer to stereotypes—widely shared but fixed and oversimplified beliefs about a particular group or category of people. These beliefs summarize perceived characteristics, behaviors, or traits of that group and are often used to quickly categorize individuals in social perception.

Stereotiepen arise from cognitive processes such as categorization and schema formation, and are reinforced by socialization, cultural norms, and media representations. They can be positive, negative, or neutral in tone, but they frequently promote unjust generalizations and can foster prejudice.

In practice, stereotiepen influence judgments, expectations, and behavior, sometimes leading to discrimination or unequal treatment. Because they ignore individual variation, reliance on stereotypes can distort accuracy and perpetuate social inequality. Critical examination, education, and direct exposure to people from different backgrounds are common approaches to reduce dependence on such generalizations.

Studiess on stereotiepen appear across social psychology, cultural studies, and media studies as part of broader analyses of bias, representation, and power dynamics. They are distinct from rigorous, evidence-based assessments of group differences, which require careful methodology to avoid overgeneralization.

Common domains for stereotiepen include gender, ethnicity, age, occupation, and nationality, among others. Efforts to challenge stereotiepen often emphasize interpretation of individuals as unique and reject broad generalizations.

See also: bias, prejudice, stereotyping, discrimination, social psychology, media representation.