A generalized social perception of an individual based on group membership or physical attributes, which can be positive or negative.
Examples: Women are talented speakers (positive), women are bad drivers (negative).
Mechanism: Form of social categorization influenced by schema processing affecting both the holders of stereotypes and those labeled by them.
Conclusion
Stereotypes are powerful social constructs that develop through various cognitive and social processes. They impact behavior through mechanisms like stereotype threat and memory distortion. Understanding the formation and effects of stereotypes is crucial for addressing their negative consequences in society.
