The Truth behind Common Stereotypes
​
By: Olivia Large
In this modern age, nations gather together and form general opinions, many of which are wrong. When these opinions refer to groups or types of people, they are stereotypes. These stereotypes segregate and even discriminate people, not allowing the many exceptions to escape their labels. There are many stereotypes that are completely or almost completely wrong, stemming from changing definitions, “ideal” types of people, and past or longstanding injustices.
A first prominent stereotype is the general opinion that those who aren’t smart or “don’t care” about their education never become successful. A widely known joke is the “flipping burgers at McDonald’s” phrase, as in those who don’t succeed in school will be poor and working minimum wage jobs. Research proves that this not only doesn’t apply to many people, it is actually the other way around. Very intelligent people often spend too much time in their heads to worry about the world around them, and people who don’t do well in school try to succeed in order to prove the skeptics wrong.
Another common misconception among society is that people with intellectual disabilities are unintelligent. This has led to the word “retarded” being used to describe people as very dumb. The truth is mentally disabled is not associated with IQ. People confuse learning disabilities with intellectual disabilities. In fact, one of the most well known disabilities, Autism, is found to correlate with higher intelligence and extraordinary geniuses have very often been found to have Autism or another disability. (The latter is a reference to savants.)
One other false belief held by the population is that men are generally less sensitive than women, specifically in this case when it comes to their appearance. Modern studies and polls actually directly contradict this statement. Time and again, when men are asked if they dress to fit the ideal look and if they take criticism personally, their answers are more or less in line with women’s: yes.
People who make assumptions based on stereotypes many times don’t realize they are doing it unless someone points it out to them or they think about it for a while. There are more stereotypes than people realize, most of them unnoticed. In an age fighting for equal rights and opportunities, the only way it can be achieved is through breaking the chains created by these mass misconceptions.
Sources:
http://www.rajeshsetty.com/2010/03/29/9-reasons-why-many-smart-people-go-nowhere/
https://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/intlwlth.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savant_syndrome
https://www.dialteg.com/tests-surveys-quizes/your-perfect-woman-survey/
http://healthpsych.psy.vanderbilt.edu/media_and_body_image.htm
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/jan/06/body-image-concerns-men-more-than-women