Stereotypes often form the basis of prejudice and are usually employed to explain real or imaginary differences due to race, gender, religion, ethnicity, socio-economic class, disability, occupation, etc. A stereotype can be a conventional and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image based on the belief that there are attitudes, appearances, or behaviors shared by all members of a group. Stereotypes are forms of social consensus rather than individual judgments. Stereotypes are sometimes formed by a previous illusory correlation, a false association between two variables that are loosely correlated if correlated at all. Stereotypes may be occasionally positive.

My opinion:

ermm..i think stereotype is just what people think around them..Stereotypes can be either positive or negative, but they are all unfair and misleading. In general, stereotypes reduce individuals to a rigid, inflexible image; they do not account for the fact that human beings are complex and multidimensional, with unique attributes. Stereotypes suggest that people or groups of people are the same, when, in fact, they are quite different. Stereotypes about human beings tend to dehumanize people, placing all members of a group into one, simple category.Then, i've read this from internet, it's quite interesting i guess.

Story By Marc Elrich Washington Post

"Everybody knows Black people are bad. That's the way we are." One black student began Of twenty-nine black students present, and twenty-four agreed with the speaker that they were inferior, and most of all they believed that there inferiority was inherited. No matter what happened during their upbringing, it would not change that fact. And education was absolutely useless in their world, They believed.

The students had such an unfavorable opinion of themselves that they accepted the stereotyped image.

This article outlined the tragic results of negative self image and stereotypes among the black students.

In general they believed that:

• Blacks were poor and stay poor because they are have less of a chance of success, than Whites and Asians.
• The only way to success is to be a Rapper, Ball Player or a Hustler i.e (Drug Dealer).
• Black kids that do their schoolwork and behave, want to be White. White kids who do poorly or dress cool want to be black. Hispanic kids want to be black because they are not as smart as Whites and Asians.
• Black people don't need to work hard because it won't matter in the end.

Example of the stereotype: