Final answer:
A stereotype is an oversimplified belief about a group's characteristics that does not consider individual differences. Stereotypes are linked with prejudice, discrimination, and racism, often leading to biases and self-fulfilling prophecies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term stereotype refers to a simplistic and often negative belief about individual characteristics that are generalized to all people within that group. Stereotypes are oversimplified generalizations about groups of people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, or sexual orientation. While stereotypes can sometimes be positive, they are more commonly negative and fail to consider individual differences, leading to biased perceptions and behaviors towards certain groups.
Understanding stereotypes is critical because they are closely linked to prejudice, discrimination, and racism, which can all contribute to inequality and social injustice. These terms, although related, have distinct meanings: prejudice involves thoughts and feelings, discrimination involves actions, and racism relates to the belief in the inherent superiority or inferiority of races.
Stereotypes often lead to a confirmation bias, where one tends to notice only information that supports the stereotype. They also form the basis of self-fulfilling prophecies, where expectations about a person affect how they are treated and can cause them to behave in ways that confirm the stereotype. Stereotypes can originate from historical prejudices and are sometimes recycled to describe new subordinate social groups over time.