Stereotyping and Influences

Stereotyping and Influences

Stereotype is a way of representing and judging other people. A stereotype is a set of characteristics that someone associates with members of a group; it is a cognitive structure containing the individual’s belief that members of a group share particular attributes. A stereotype can be a conventional and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image, based on the assumption that there are attributes that members of the other group hold in common. Stereotypes may be positive or negative in tone. They are typically generalizations based on minimal or limited knowledge about a group to which the person doing the stereotyping does not belong. Persons may be grouped based on racial group, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any number of other categories.

I had read this article in the January Reader Digest and were shock by the facts that the District Attorney had lied in the case against the lacrosse team, for he know that he had no evidence to support his claim.

The attorney made various strong statement to as many as 70 media interviews and press conferences on the case regarding the player;

Extracted from the article. For full article click here.

In fiery language, Nifong declared that medical evidence made it clear that the alleged victim had been raped by Duke lacrosse players. False.
Fanning the flames of racial and class hatred, he suggested the players’ rampant use of racial slurs during the supposed incident. False.
The players were a “bunch of hooligans” whose “daddies” would buy them expensive lawyers, Nifong said, and the entire team had formed “a stonewall of silence” to protect three rapist teammates. False.

It’s is quite shocking to knowing that a man of such status will made these prejudice remark. These statement stirred much unrest in the college especially the among female. Coincidentally, the week of March 27, 2006, had been declared Sexual Assault Prevention Week at Duke. Over 750 students and Durhamites took to the campus on March 29 in an annual Take Back the Night rally, a common event at colleges nationwide. Late on the afternoon of March 29, the Duke campus was flooded with wanted posters showing photos of 43 of the team’s 46 white players.

These actions also demonstrated informational influence and normative influence. Information influence occurs when people are influenced by others because of desire to be correct and to obtain valid information. Normative influence occurs when people are influenced by other to gain rewards or to avoid punishment.

Firstly, the public was being influence by the statement made by the District Attorney. They believed him as he is a man of figure, commanding much authority, more knowledgeable in this area, hence the judgment made by him is correct.. Thus, the public begin to label the lacrosse players as rowdy, drunken white racists who might well be rapists too. This is the effect of information influence.

Secondly, it was stated in the article “Some admitted privately that they were afraid to cross the activists, lest they be smeared with charges of racism, sexism, classism, homophobia or right-wingism.” Defending the lacrosse players might incur the wrath of the other student, hence few speak up for the lacrosse team, so as to avoid punishment. This is the effect of normative influence.

In this article, we can see the devastating effect of stereotype and influences leading to conformity, thus a rush to judgment. Hence, it is important for us to avoid biases, prejudice and discrimination when making any judgment.