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In fact we are not. We are the 5th most secular country in the world and religion doesn’t play a role for us like it does for many other countries. We really arent religious.
To learn more about stereotypes and the harmful effects they can have, we reached out to Alina Ramirez, Ph.D., LCSW-S, Clinical Director at the Momentous Institute. Dr. Ramirez was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and shine some more light on this topic.
"There are both positive and negative stereotypes, yet both can have a negative impact on the person being stereotyped," she explained. "When someone assumes something about a person, whether positive or negative, they are putting a label on that person, which may or may not be true. This can put the stereotyped person in a difficult predicament."
"For example, if the seemingly positive stereotype that all people from this group are really smart has been voiced in an interaction, the person now has an additional barrier imposed upon them that may prevent them from feeling that they can be authentic or may put them in a place of having to explain or defend themselves," Dr. Ramirez continued.
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Dr. Ramirez also shared how stereotypes impact her personally. "As a Latina, I encounter many stereotypes about gender roles and how Latinx families function," she noted. "The examples of the sacrificing matriarch or the tight knit family might both present with positive and negative aspects, and it is important to consider both of these. Unfortunately, I find that most stereotypes of my community do not consider the complexity of how a Latinx person self-identifies and presents themselves in different settings."
"There are various contextual factors that impact a Latinx individual. These include the various regional and political differences across the numerous Latin American countries that have influenced their specific cultural norms. It also includes the generational experiences of US born Latinos as they navigate two cultures," the expert explained.
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"As a mental health clinician, I am trained to look at context and find that I am not able to fully understand and help a person, even if they happen to be Latinx, unless I am curious about both the broader cultural context and the specific individual experiences that have shaped a person. I consistently seek to identify how these factors can be protective and contribute to a person’s resiliency," Dr. Ramirez added.
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I asked my ex girlfriend this question.
She just looked at me with her curls hanging over her dark brown eyes, her face looking full of confusion.
She didn't seem to understand what I was asking but she's always been the quiet one I suppose and not keen on confrontation.
I was getting annoyed at this point but I needed to know.
I asked her again but she turned away from me and screamed
Baaaaaaaaaa!
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As far as where these stereotypes come from, Dr. Ramirez told Bored Panda that they are typically formed over time either through direct experiences or messages from others. "Our circle of who 'others' includes has expanded over time from family members, friends, and colleagues to include social media as well," she noted.
"Neurologically, stereotypes serve the purpose of helping us categorize others and interactions quickly without becoming overwhelmed. In its simplest form, these fall into safe/good or not safe/bad categories," the expert continued. "This is why many stereotypes tend to focus on negative elements. From a survival perspective, our brains initially store negative or threatening information about others as a means of keeping us safe (emotionally or physically)."
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But once a schema exists, we tend to look for examples that confirm this belief, Dr. Ramirez continued. "This is referred to as a 'confirmation bias.' And now with the use of AI technology in social media, each time we like or share something that includes a stereotype, algorithms then push similar content into our feed; thereby perpetuating this belief," she warns. "Studies have shown that even when presented with data that contradicts our stereotypes, we tend to disregard this input."
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When it comes to preventing ourselves from being impacted or influenced by stereotypes, Dr. Ramirez says the first step is to understand what stereotypes we actually hold and why. "This is harder than it sounds, as we aren’t always aware of our stereotypes. And we ALL have them," she told Bored Panda.
"You might notice a shift in your heart rate or breathing or some other 'gut' sensation when in certain environments. Notice this. Be curious about this. Ask yourself, what am I reacting to? And once you answer that, the next step is to question why," the expert says. "What is my belief about this person, and where does this come from? What do I know about the person in front of me?"
"When you see something on social media, be open to the possibility that the information might not be completely accurate," Dr. Ramirez continued. "What is the source and what might be the motivation of that source to push a certain narrative. At the heart of this is curiosity, both about others as well as our own thinking. Stereotypes tend to thrive when curiosity is absent. Of course, the more we interact with others in a meaningful way, the more opportunity we have to break down our preconceptions of them and the groups they may represent."
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"Stereotypes have a negative impact not only on the person about whom we are making them, but on ourselves," Dr. Ramirez added. "We are often surprised when we learn that we have more in common than we think. When we make assumptions about others, we miss an opportunity for an authentic exchange that can impact each other for the better."