research blog 5

Thiederman, Sondra. "Stop Stereotyping: Overcome Your Worst Diversity Enemy | Monster." Career

Advice, Interview Questions, Salary Comparisons, and Resume Tips from Monster. Web. 23 Oct. 2011. <http://career-advice.monster.com/in-the-office/workplace-issues/Stop-Stereotyping/article.aspx>.

In Sondra Theiderman’s article “Stop Stereotyping: Overcome Your Worst Diversity Enemy,” we learn that stereotyping is a factor in our life that can be hard to overcome. Thiederman states, “The most powerful source of stereotypes, however, is our own negative experiences.” We grow up experiencing situations which later in life lead to stereotypes. For example, if we experience a man being sexist, we then tend to think all men are sexist. At young age we form to the situations we experience and have throughout the rest of our lives. As much as we try to stray away from these experiences, knowing that not all men are sexist, other factors in our lives plant stereotypes within; “Our family, friends, coworkers and the media all easily implant these inflexible categories on our impressionable minds and hearts,” explains Thiederman. But in order to overcome stereotyping, we need to take action and realize the effects on our lives that lead us to believing stereotypes. As Thiederman explains, “Just because one person takes advantage of status does not mean they all will.” We need to come to terms with ourselves and realize that one person is not the same. Everyone has their own beliefs and opinions, so we should not stereotype and categorize people into such groups. Thiederman also gives three steps on how to eliminate stereotypes; Identify Stereotypes, Look for Consistency, and Push Stereotypes Aside. “One challenge to ridding ourselves of stereotypes is the fact that we are unaware of what they are,” states Theiderman. We are blind to stereotyping and to realize it is to overcome it. Once we can identify stereotypes, we can look for the consistency. Sondra explains, “Ask yourself: "Do I have these reactions before or after I have a chance to know the individual?" If the answer is before, these are your stereotypes.” Once we are then aware of the identities and consistency, we can then move to pushing stereotypes aside. How we learn things when we are young is through practice and repetition. Sondra puts, “Stereotyping is a habit. Just as it is learned through repetition, it can be unlearned through practice.” Stereotyping is a learned habit and can become slowly “unlearned” by forming new habits of ridding stereotypes.

Sondra’s three concepts on how to let go of stereotyping, Identify Stereotypes, Look for Consistency and Push Stereotypes Aside, I found very useful. It is hard to just stop stereotyping especially if you have experiences from when you were younger, but with these steps make it easier to do. To identify what you are doing and the thoughts you are thinking make it easy to notice the “bad habits” and judgments you are making about others. Seeing what situations and experience are the same or consistent help you identify what is a stereotype/judgment and being aware of your judgments helps you to push those thoughts aside.

I chose this article because after learning about what stereotypes can do to others, I wanted to learn about preventing or eliminating stereotypes as much as possible. This article gave simple steps on how you can identify and eliminate stereotypes and judgments from your everyday life. Sondra touches on how experiences from when you’re younger can stay with you when you are older. I liked the examples she used to show how those experiences basically can be imprinted in your life and being able to notice it will help you eliminate it.