Stereotype

An 18th-century Dutch engraving of the peoples of the world
A stereotypical caricature of a villain (i.e. generic melodramatic villain stock character, with handlebar moustache and black top-hat), particularly popular in early 20th century silent films and melodramas and popularized by Snidely Whiplash
Police officers buying doughnuts and coffee, an example of perceived stereotypical behavior[1] in North America

In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalized belief about a particular category of people.[2] It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can be, for example, an expectation about the group's personality, preferences, appearance or ability. Stereotypes are often overgeneralized, inaccurate, and resistant to new information.[3] A stereotype does not necessarily need to be a negative assumption. They may be positive, neutral, or negative.

  1. ^ Critchfield, Austi (15 November 2017). "This is Why Doughnuts Are Associated With Cops". Spoon University. Archived from the original on 19 November 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2020. The funny thing is, the whole cop and doughnuts thing is completely out of date – today, an officer could just as easily swing through a McDonald's drive through as he could a Krispy Kreme. Yet, the stereotype endures, even though police aren't seen at doughnut shops in nearly the numbers they used to have been. In a way, it's become a stereotype of itself, which is pretty meta.
  2. ^ Cardwell, Mike (1999). Dictionary of Psychology. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn. ISBN 9781579580643.
  3. ^ Myers, David G.; Twenge, Jean M. (2013). Social Psychology (11th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780078035296. OCLC 795645100.[page needed]