Final answer:
Todd's beliefs about his roommate Jon are best explained by stereotyping, which are oversimplified generalizations about people based on group membership without considering individual differences. Todd might also be influenced by confirmation bias, paying more attention to behavior that supports his stereotype and ignoring contradictory information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The beliefs Todd holds about Jon based solely on Jon's shyness and the assumption that he must not like people and has low self-esteem can be best explained by stereotyping. Stereotyping involves oversimplified generalizations about groups of people, which do not take individual differences into account. While Todd is not actively discriminating or exhibiting prejudice, he is applying a stereotype about shy individuals to Jon without considering Jon's unique personality and behavior beyond the initial shyness.
It is also important to recognize the role of confirmation bias in reinforcing stereotypes. Todd may ignore signs that contradict his belief and overly focus on any behavior by Jon that seems to confirm the stereotype. To avoid falling into the trap of confirmation bias, it would be essential for Todd to approach Jon without preconceived notions and to be open to learning about Jon as an individual.
An additional concept to consider is in-group bias, where Todd may have an unconscious preference for people who are more like himself, which might make him view Jon as part of an out-group if Jon's shyness is perceived as fundamentally different from Todd's own behavior.