There are many different definitions for the term stereotyping. It is merely impossible to give you all the definitions that there is, so here are a couple of them. The authors of Interplay say that stereotyping is, "Exaggerated beliefs associated with a categorizing system" (Interplay). Another definition, worded by Webster's dictionary is, "A fixed or conventional notion or conception" (Webster's). Put these two definitions together and you have a great definition of stereotyping. People tend to think that all stereotypes are bad, but an article by a man named John Derbyshire says, "Pure logic suggests that stereotypes fall into four classes (any one of which might, of course, after careful research, turn out to be empty): positive and accurate, positive and inaccurate, negative and accurate, negative and inaccurate" (National Review Online). It turns out that before, researchers spent most their time focusing on the negative and inaccurate category. As soon as the other categories were researched, the people doing the research were shocked. John Derbyshire said, "Far from being a loathsome aberration that ought to be purged from our behavior, it turns out that stereotypes are essential life tools, are accurate much more often than not, and that we do not use them as much as, from cold practical considerations, we should" (National Review online). With the notion in mind, there are four main groups in which stereotypes fit into: gender, ethnic, physical attributes, and group stereotypes. .
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Gender stereotypes deal with stereotyping people because of their sex. We tend to compare each other based on traits that aren't concrete. An anonymous writer on a website called Women Issues said, "I think that a stereotype of gender is based on the opposite gender. How else is a sex supposed to know the makeup of what it is to be a woman without knowing what it is to be a man? It is important to ask the question a woman is Weak, Submissive, Emotional, Dependent and Indecisive compared to what, a man of course" (Women's issues).
