Understanding Cultural Stereotypes Essay - 996 Words

Stereotypes in short, are often about seeking patterns. It cannot be helped but to use them as not only a function in society, but also as a way to understand it as humans today are known to identify well with patterns. This question will be explored using the following areas of knowledge; human sciences and history. As well as using the above areas of knowledge to explore this question, ways of knowing, in particular, emotion, perception, language and reason, will be used in conjunction. Taking the story of Gandhi as a prime example, it is important on two levels; most importantly however, the way in which it exposes not only the negative cultural stereotype of the â€Å"stupid foreigner†, but how at the same time it undermines and†¦show more content†¦Despite the use of emotion being useful in daily life, there is a down side to emotion – the fact that there occasionally appears to be no built in â€Å"deception detection†. This means that acting on our emotions can often cause you to be wrong in ones emotive judgements. Another method in which we understand stereotypes is through the use of reason. Cultural stereotypes in society are ways in which we form generalisations. These generalisations are not formed through inductive interpretations that can be drawn from deducing data that can be collected via scientific methods, nor through deductive interpretations that can be drawn from mathematical logic. These generalisations are driven by the emotions we use to rationalize our attitudes and actions. These rationalised, or reasoned, interpretations are helpful in multiple ways. Firstly, in situations where it is required to handle interactions with people, these rationalised interpretations are used to clarify the decision making processes. Also, interpretations styled these ways help support the reasons behind drawing assumptions, such as prejudice, and also support certain intolerances (for example, the development of religious attitudes towards gay marriages). We often rationalise our attitu desShow MoreRelatedSocial Stereotypes And Cultural Stereotypes1282 Words   |  6 Pageshave to try to put ourselves, as far as we can, in that particular historical and cultural background. ... It is not easy for a person of one country to enter into the background of another country† (1956). Thus, to fully communicate effectively with someone of a different background , it is important also, to ultimately understand the stereotype of their culture. Nehru understood the idea that if cultural stereotypes are not taken into account by the foreigner, it is likely that detrimental effectsRead MoreCross-Cultural Management Issues Recommend Solutions Essay1671 Words   |  7 Pagesthem. 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