American Psychologist,52, 613–629. Bernadette Eichner shares 8 tips on how to avoid stereotyping while recruiting for hiring managers and recruiters alike. Avoid Using Slang and Idioms. So, most people do not do this, but then others do. Develop empathy for the others. Think of a stereotype as a generalization about a person or a group of people. It would be boring! If you must, make a priority list. Avoid making assumptions or creating labels. Each person is an individual, so try not to make assumptions about a person of another culture based on what you have learned. Ways to avoid stereotyping. We must also acknowledge that stereotypes are a part of how we process information, thus, a product of our communication. Want to be smart about stereotyping? Instead, aim for a better understanding and more effective communication. At the same time, avoid overgeneralizing and stereotyping. Researcher Gabrielle Rappolt-Schlichtmann describes stereotype threat as “the fear of being judged on the basis of negative stereotypes, and the fear of doing something that would confirm those stereotypes,” which can lead to reduced academic achievement and can affect students’ social-emotional well being. Keep acting on them when they help, but also have a second option. Start with the stereotypes that you dislike the most, and work towards counteracting. Certain people think that they can cover up inner stereotypes by being so nice to certain people of minority. 1. Communicative Strategies for Mitigating Stereotype Threat Among Female Students in Mathematics Testing. Stereotyping is the result of our tendency to overestimate the degree of association between group membership and psychological attributes. Respect and appreciate others’ differences. Imagine if people looked and acted the same. Résumes and cover letters tell us a lot about people. Use specific and relevant words when speaking. This is anti-stereotyping communication. Try to walk in their shoes. Annual Meeting, 1-27. Disclaimer. Be precise as to why you object to being stereotyped in that way, and take actions to counteract. Consider what you have common with other people — lots more than you think. Steps to Take to Assess and Eliminate Stereotypes. Your plan B should be to c ommunicate in ways that help uniquenesses meet. Each person is unique. communication with strangers, we must keep our minds open and be mindful. 3.2 Since stereotypes are a natural product of the communication process, they influence the way we process information. Don’t be overly nice to the object of your stereotyping. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association. Biases, prejudice and resultant judgements can greatly affect communication – they may result in conflict (see Ch 14), misunderstandings (see Ch 17) and communication breakdown (Mohan et al 2004).These are good reasons why health professionals should avoid stereotypical judgements based on prejudice ().However, there are additional reasons to avoid stereotypical judgement. Everybody knows this. Steele, C. M. (1997) A threat in the air: How stereotypes shape intellectual identity and performance. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. We first need to define the word stereotype. Stereotypes also can affect the way communicators respond to their audience, according to 2014 research from the University of Portland.In face-to-face communication, for example, employees may feel uncomfortable communicating honestly with those who they perceive as aggressive or uncooperative based on stereotypes. Make a list of the specific stereotypes that you wish to avoid. 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