• 7 Posts
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Joined 9 months ago
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Cake day: December 16th, 2023

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  • spujb@lemmy.cafeOPtoAsk Lemmy@lemmy.worldWhat are some *constructive* stereotypes?
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    2 months ago

    Love this explanation, thank you!

    And some of the determinants of what makes valid- versus over-application are knowledge, cognition and time.

    • I don’t have training in foraging, so without that knowledge I use stereotypes to avoid danger
    • Children have lower cognition, so we tell them to stereotype that all strangers are dangerous until they are older
    • A woman walking alone at night may not have time to examine her biases, and so uses stereotypes to keep herself safe

    I am interested to know if there are other determinants as well. :)





  • spujb@lemmy.cafeOPtoAsk Lemmy@lemmy.worldWhat are some *constructive* stereotypes?
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    2 months ago

    Woo the first real answer that just doesn’t argue with my semantics, and also really well written!

    Yes, and I think the context, as you emphasize, is so key here. In situations that are vulnerable to the point of being time sensitive, interrogating one’s biases is absolutely valid to do later (or even better, before).

    I am noticing a pattern in (what I consider to be) the real answers in that they mostly apply in situations where cognition is limited in some sense. Children have limited cognition so we tell them “stranger danger” and “cars can’t see you.” But, as we know from your example, cognition can also be limited by time which means that gut instincts and stereotypes often apply in dangerous situations as well.

    Thanks for your comment!



  • spujb@lemmy.cafeOPtoAsk Lemmy@lemmy.worldWhat are some *constructive* stereotypes?
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    2 months ago

    The statement “a stereotype can never be constructive because it will always involve the need to be restrictive and limiting in order to be a stereotype” suggests that stereotypes inherently confine individuals to a set of predetermined traits, limiting their full and diverse expression.

    However, stereotypes can be context-dependent and their restrictiveness can vary. For instance, in some contexts, certain conservatives might falsely believe that exposure to trans identities manipulates people into becoming trans, which is a restrictive stereotype. Yet, in other contexts, these same individuals may engage with trans identities through media consumption (fetishization; pornography), which contradicts the initial stereotype.

    This example demonstrates that stereotypes can shift and are not universally restrictive. The fluidity of stereotypes based on context suggests that while they often limit and confine, their impact can vary, revealing a more complex and sometimes contradictory nature.

    As far as the car example, of course the graffiti tagger is no longer going to hold the same stereotype true when they cease pedestrian activities—because the context has changed.




  • spujb@lemmy.cafeOPtoAsk Lemmy@lemmy.worldWhat are some *constructive* stereotypes?
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    2 months ago

    A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.

    I agree with this definition. :)

    Is a driver a type of person?

    Why wouldn’t they be? Also note the or thing at the end there. A driver can refer to both human drivers and autonomous vehicles. But either way, every driver in history has been a person or thing.


    “Asians are good at math”. An example of a positive stereotype, which are also corrosive to the people they are applied to.

    Positive, yes. Constructive, as I ask in my post, no. There is a reason I worded the question the way I did. Positive stereotypes might seem flattering, but they place undue pressure and expectations on individuals, which can be harmful. This isn’t a counterexample so much as an example that is not valid, and glad to see we agree here.


    “a woman driver probably doesn’t see pedestrians”—A negative stereotype that makes you sound sexist but also probably makes you more cautious as a pedestrian, but not as cautious as assuming any given driver could end your life.

    So, we have to weigh the pros and cons. While such a stereotype might encourage cautiousness around women drivers, the perpetuation of patriarchal values that result in violence and exclusion against women is far more harmful. Therefore, applying gender to road safety is not constructive because the negative impacts significantly outweigh any potential benefits.


    Tldr: do you know what a stereotype is?

    A mean way to end this, come on man. :( Let’s remember to follow community rule 1: “be nice and have fun.”