Cross Culture Understanding- Stereotype

 

                                                                 STEREOTYPE

 

You might be familiar with the word of " stereotype". Yep, it's the image in our mind about a group or individual. But, do you know where's stereotype come from ? We know the Arabian is religius. But where's the image come from ? I will try to explain about anything that relate to stereotype, from the definition about stereotypes itself, types of stereotypes, the positive and negative about stereotypes, and how to deal with stereotype. 

1. Definition of Stereotype

Like I said above, stereotype is the image in our mind about a group or individual. Where's the stereotype come from ? Our stereotype come from the past experience or the media that spread the information about a group or individual. Take an example, We know that Arabian is religius, because we see in the television that most of them using Muslim clothes. We know the Japanese is technology freak because the media report about the technology that always develop in Japan.

We already knew what is the definition of stereotype. Let's take a look on the next explanation, kind of stereotypes.

2. Kind of Stereotypes

Stereotypes have different kinds, that can be divided into 4 categories.

a. Nationality

We usually see the people as their nationality. Take an example, You have a friend from Korea. You might be think that He or She has plastic surgery, or always eat kimchi.Because it' was the things that we usually see on the media.

Below is the other example of nationality stereotype.

-American is racist and open minded

-Arabians is bomber and millionaire

-Indian is poor personal hygiene

 and so on.

 

 

( Poor sanitation and hygiene in Mumbai, India )

b. Racial

Racial is the thing that will always be the problem from year to year. We can see in apartheid history that happened in Africa, the unfair treatment that black people got from the laws that settled by African government. This law made white people more superior than black people. Black people and white people must lived in different area ( black people in rural area ) , differentiate in the used of public transportation, and most controversial is the black people and white people were prohibited to married. Or the American history, black people treated in the bad ways. In education for the example, the first black people that can enrolled in the university in America is avoided by the other colleges and sit at the edge corner of class.

From those example above, we can see that white people always have bad stereotypes at the black people. The other example, the Chinese are consider by their slanting eyes, or they like math and science.

 

(Example of Chinese racial that always relate to math)

c. Political

 Political of a country also have stereotype. Take an example, United States that has democrats political. The democrats are consider by open minded people because they can share their opinion freely.

 

( United States allowed their citizen to freely give their opinion )

d. Gender

It's usual that we always have stereotype on the gender. In real life, men is stronger than women so they are not allowed to cry, and women is weaker than men. The other stereotypes, men is the one who allowed to working, and women just stay at home, handling the house chores.

 

( Different stereotype between woman and man )

3. The Role of Media

After you know kinds of stereotypes, can you guess where's our stereotypes come from ? Like i said above, is from the past experience of individuals or organizations. But how it can be spread widely ? The answer is media. Media has a big role to spread the point of view about groups or individuals.

We know from the cooking utensils advertisement, the one who handling the kitchen is the woman ( have a role as wife ) and the man ( role as husband ) come home from working to eat the food that was already prepared by his wife.

The other example is from the television, social media, and newspaper. We see on the film that Arabian have a role as billionaire then the Brazilian have a role as the gangster. It make us to think that all of Arabian is Billionaire and all of Brazilian is a criminal.

 

  

( The role of media to spread the stereotype of Arabian and richness)

D. Positive and Negative from Stereotype

1. Positive

With stereotype, we can make prediction when we face the others or we move to the other country, it can be about their behavior, table manner or way they greets us. It makes us not getting culture shock because we already know about them, even though not is personal way.

2. Negative

Negative thing about stereotype, we quickly judging the other about something and have negative perceive about someone. Because everything that we think is won't be same as the reality we face. Take an example, you have a friend from India. You already saw in the TV that Indian have bad personal hygiene. But, not all of Indian like that way. It can be your friend have a good care on her/ his personal hygiene.

E. Dealing with Stereotype

1. Between Individuals

Getting to know people personally can break down your negative perceive about someone. You can have friends from the other country to see directly what their culture and can think whether your stereotype is right or not. People who learn to share their feelings together also can understand each other more better.

( having friends from different countries help you to have different stereotype about them)

2. Media

Media have a big role to make a stereotype. Thus, Media can characterize particular person or group in positive way, to make the reader/ viewer have a good perception about person or that group.

3. Education

History with negative perception about a country will make the students get the bad perception as well. Take an example in our history book, they characterize Dutch and Japanese in the bad way. That's why we consider them as the bad country and bad civilization.

Even though its true that Dutch and Japanese colonized our country, the education have a big role to show the students about those countries in the right way. Take an example in economic, Japan have a cooperation with Indonesia in lots of industry. So, the students are not just have a bad stereotype, but also good stereotype.

 

( Japan and Indonesia cooperation in economy )

Conclusion

Individual or Groups have both bad and good stereotypes, and that can't be denied. Have a knowledge about this with help you to see the person not only in negative , but also positive way. 

Source : 

CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING: A HANDBOOK TO UNDERSTAND OTHERS’ CULTURES. Umi Pujiyanti & Fatkhunaimah Rhina Zuliani .CV. Hidayah Yogyakarta .2014

www.history.com